When 70-year-old Emma Kost O'Neal dies in her bed in Hartford, Conn., the cause of her demise is far from certain in this insightful and unconventional mystery from Hogan (Man Out of Time
). After finding Mrs. O'Neal's body, Matthew Wyman, a troubled young artist who did odd jobs for the wealthy matron, suffers a breakdown and winds up in a mental facility, where he finds a measure of peace. Meanwhile, police detective Mark Moraski, consumed by his inability to unravel the circumstances of the case, continues over the months to re-examine the file, always hopeful that at some point he'll solve it. Various flawed characters try to figure out what one really needs to be happy as they seek some kind of fulfillment while tempted to chase after what society tells us is important. The intricate plot builds to a singular finale that delivers an unexpectedly satisfying balancing of the scales. (Aug.)
