Face Value:
A Rachel Gold Mystery
Michael Kahn
Poisoned Pen, Jun 3 2014, $24.95
ISBN 9781464202803
In St. Louis,
retired cop turned security guard Tommy
Flynn finds the corpse of Sari Bashir in an alley while on a smoke break. The police conclude the Warner & Olsen
law firm attorney committed suicide by jumping from a garage. However, Warner & Olsen mail room
employee Stanley Plotkin believes the cops erred as he knows someone murdered Sari
from his in depth knowledge of the Facial Action Coding System; he applies to
people to help him compensate for his inability to innately empathize with
people or understand their emotions due to his being an Asperger’s syndrome
sufferer.
Having used FACS when he saw Sari just before she died, the Aspie read she was
very upset as most young lawyers are but not remotely suicidal. He explains his contention to attorney Rachel Gold
who was a friend of the deceased. When
Sari’s grieving father pleads with Rachel to read the police report, she does
and finds some questionable items that provide credence to Stanley’s conclusion
of a homicide.
The ninth Rachel Gold Mystery (see Trophy Widow and The
Flinch Factor) is a fabulous investigative thriller made fresh by the brilliant
Aspie who lacks acceptable social graces and speaks neurotypical English as if it is a second language. The use of FACS enhances an enjoyable whodunit
in which Rachel uncovers improprieties inside the law firm.
Harriet Klausner
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