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Over the Shoulder is one of those hard to classify mysteries. It works on many levels, but is much more than just an investigation into murder. Allen Choice, the protagonist, deals with many situations which force him to view the world in a much more cynical, detached manner until he meets Linda Maldonado. The opening scenes read like a thriller with Allen working at ProServ, a highly organized security firm that guards and protects corporate CEOs. While on assignment with Paul Baumgartner, protecting a CEO at a luncheon, things start to happen. Allen is accosted by someone in a Raiders' jacket, then his partner is shot by a motorcyclist, while Allen is protecting the client. The police suspect someone is after the client, so don't investigate Paul's murder too intently. Along comes Linda Maldonado, a reporter for a local newspaper, who thinks Paul's murder is a cover up, at an attempt to protect someone else. As both Allen and Linda start digging, events take off. The first steps have Allen being beaten up outside of his apartment, then he discovers his car, phone and office are bugged, so is Linda's car and apartment. Someone doesn't want either to find out why Paul was killed. Then Paul's wife, Sonia, seduces Allen, only to regret it later. Then, Junil Kim, a friend of Allen's father, is murdered after telling Allen something. People are dying all around him, and he feels helpless to stop events. Then there is Aunt Insook, Allen's guardian, who took care of him after his father's death. It seems Paul's death is starting to lead back to the early days of WestSun, a shipping company dealing with Korean workers and imports. John Choice had been driving a truck one night and was unloading it when all the chains fell on top of him. Ruled an accident at that time, Insook had been paid off by Roger Milian, head of the company to keep quiet. But it seems the more questions asked by Allen, the more dirt that is unearthed. As secrets come out, Allen and Linda are thwarted, offered bribe money to keep quiet, threatened, and finally held at gunpoint. The pacing of this book was slow, as it varied between points of view, allowing us to see inside both character's, especially Allen Choice. Some of the minor characters and the villains in this novel could have used some fleshing out and more development. Overall, not a run to the store book, but not a bad one either.
Reviewed by Steven Sill, June 2003
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Contact: Yvonne Klein (ymk@reviewingtheevidence.com)
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