An Eye for Murder
by Libby Fischer Hellmann
Summary
AN EYE FOR MURDER opens in 1944 Prague with a seemingly trivial
exchange of intelligence. Decades later, in contemporary Chicago, the
consequences begin to emerge when documentary filmmaker Ellie Foreman gets a letter prompted by the success of one of her shows. The landlady of Ben Sinclair, an elderly man who died has found Ellie’s name among his effects. Ellie, though puzzled, is curious. Before long, Mrs. Fleischman, too, dies and Ben’s things are stolen from Ellie’s suburban home, frightening the single mom but setting her curiosity and her investigative instincts ablaze. Although she’s stretching to make ends meet by producing a campaign video a former steel company CEO running for the Illinois Senate, Ellie turns to her father, a retired lawyer with deep roots in Chicago’s Jewish community, for insights into the mystery of Ben Sinclair. From the political present of the North Shore to the buried memories of the city’s ethnic neighborhoods, the components of Ben’s story become Ellie’s and eventually merge into an explosive climax in which her life, and those that she loves, hang in jeopardy.
Excerpt
Prague: August, 1944
The evening air was heavy and damp. Summer kept hanging on. The smell of rotting fish mixed with exhaust fumes as trucks cut through the narrow streets of the city. Nothing seemed clean anymore. It was hard to imagine Prague was once the crown jewel of the Hapsburg Empire.
He’d spent the afternoon checking the route. Strolling past Panska and the office that had housed the Prager Tagblatt until the Nazis shut it down. Past the castle, the palace, and the basilica, with their jumble of Romanesque, Renaissance, and Baroque architecture. Trying to look unobtrusive. Just another Czech citizen out on a late summer day.
The city made him uncomfortable. Back home before the war, he’d prowled dark streets and alleys, courting danger, practically daring it to appear. But now, danger meant death if he was caught. He was careful to avoid people and crowds.
The restaurant smelled of stale beer, and the tables were coated with grime. Maybe it was the European tolerance for a state of clean that would make Westerners cringe. Or maybe it was the only way the people in occupied countries had to rebel against Nazi discipline. A few patrons had come in, old men mostly, their bodies shriveled with age. One hobbled on a cane.
After observing the place for an hour, the American decided it was safe to enter. He leaned in at the bar, a glass of beer in his hand, but his gut twisted every time someone glanced his way.
The door squeaked as someone came in. He turned around. The new arrival ordered a Schnapps. The bartender, busying himself with a glass and the bottle, didn’t look up. The man tossed his drink down in one gulp and thumped his glass on the bar. The bartender refilled it.
“The Kinski gardens are beautiful now, yes?” the new arrival said in German, looking down the bar.
The American replied in heavily-accented German. “I prefer the park this time of year.”
The new arrival shifted slightly, almost imperceptibly. “Yes. It is cooler there.”
After ten minutes and another Schnapps, the new arrival dug deep in his pocket, tossed a few coins on the bar, and walked out. The American stayed a few more minutes and then left also, turning toward the river. Dusk was upon him, dark shadows softening the edges of buildings. He was careful to make sure he wasn’t followed. Three streets north and two streets east. Just another citizen out for a walk.
As he passed the narrow cobblestone alley behind the museum, a voice from the shadows said softly, “Good evening, comrade.”
The American looked up, startled.
“Sorry. My little joke. “ His contact smiled. “We will speak in English. But we whisper.”
The American managed a nod. “What should I call you?”
He paused. “Kafka. And you?”
“You can call me Joe.”
“GI Joe.” Kafka’s smile faded. “It is unusual to see an American so far from home. Especially here. How did it come about?”
“I had work to do.”
“You have had a long journey.”
“I have been in Berlin. The East before that.”
“A freedom fighter. We honor you, Joe.”
He shrugged.
“So. I understand you have information for me.”
Reviews
"A masterful blend of politics, history, and suspense, this novel is well worth reading."--Publishers Weekly
"Complicated...fascinating...Hellmann has a beautifully tuned ear"--Chicago Tribune
"Taut, compelling and gripping...one of the best mysteries I’ve read in years"--Romantic Times
Author's Biography
Libby writes the award-winning Chicago-based mystery-thriller series featuring documentary producer and single mother Ellie Foreman. There are 4 novels in the series, starting with the Anthony-nominated An Eye for Murder. Libby was National President of Sisters in Crime. Her next release, Easy Innocence, is a stand-alone PI novel set in Chicago.