As Algy Temple, the deft pool player, sleuth and Ivy League university lawyer, investigates the suspicious death of a retired professor, it coincides with his involvement in a high stakes pool tournament in Providence, where old world shadows hang heavily in the air.

An Algy Temple Mystery! The body in the ashes of swank Haversham Golf Club sparks Algy Temple's involvement in a death far removed from Carter University's latest skirmish with Providence's mendacious mayor Sonny Russo. Is the fire related to a proposed casino? Or the site's legacy as 'sacred' ground for a band of swamp dwellers? Or the result of ethnic and class hatreds? And how do the harsh realities of Rhode Island's colonial wars and the '38 Hurricane play into a megalomanic's assaults and Providence's poisonous politics? From Providence's East Side, elegant Watch Hill, and the glories of Northern Italy to the grim reality of South County's swamps, Algy's investigative urge duels with his sense of justice as he applies his deft pool skills against opponents who play for keeps. With his companion, the comely psychologist Nadie Winokur, Algy Temple faces his greatest challenge in a game of Straight Pool!

Carom Shot is a solidly plotted traditional mystery with enough twists and reversals to appeal to puzzle-lovers. Algy Temple is the kind of fictional friend you'd want watching your back, whether in a dark alley, a boardroom or a courthouse. Carom Shot is a terrific debut that brings old Providence alive from the church steeples to the cracks between the cobblestones. Algy Temple is a wonderful addition to the ranks of sleuths.