Final Round

January 28, 2002
Connor Cross, golf pro/first-time sleuth, is a Peck's bad boy whose antics are threatening to get him kicked out of the Masters tournament at Georgia's snooty Augusta National Golf Club in this entertaining if implausible whodunit from veteran Bernhardt (Primary Justice; Murder One; etc.). Cross can't seem to take anything seriously, not even his own game, which is suffering grievously. But when his best friend is found murdered and he's suspected of the crime, Cross takes it very seriously indeed, especially after he learns that the murder weapon was his own nine-iron. He soon teams up with red-haired Lt. Nikki O'Brien of the Augusta P.D., who would rather arrest him than accept his assistance. In the pair's running duel of words, the chemistry Connor and Nikki generate consistently delights. You don't have to be a golfer to appreciate the anecdotes about actual events at past Masters that introduce each section. Bernhardt may resort to a B-movie ending with the real killer trying to evade capture by seizing the heroine around the neck (you just know that sucker's not going to make it out the door), but he's clearly having fun with the genre clichés and so will the reader. Agent, Robert Gottlieb. (Apr. 1)Forecast:Media and bookstore appearances tied into the Masters tournament scheduled for April 8–14 will add yardage to this one.

December 1, 2001
Bernhardt (Murder One) is known for his courtroom dramas, but he clearly knows his golf, too. His abrasive hero, Conner Cross, long on promise and short on seriousness, barely makes the cut to compete in the notoriously stuffy Augusta National tournament. His boyhood friend John, a superior golfer, has helped him get this far, so when he finds John's body in a sand trap, he takes it personally especially since Conner's nine iron was the murder weapon, making him the prime suspect. Knowing more about the players than the attractive detective does, he's better able to follow the clues. It's also put-up or shut-up time for him as a golfer. To honor John, who always wanted one of them to win the National, Conner, for the first time ever, follows his long-suffering caddy's advice and plays to win. Lots of authentic golf detail here and a story that grabs you; recommended for public libraries. Marylaine Block, Librarian Without Walls, Davenport, IA

Copyright 2001 Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

December 1, 2001
Imagine an author trying to write a legal thriller with no idea what happens in a courtroom. Inconceivable? Well, here we have a mystery set during the Masters Golf Tournament written by an author who knows nothing about golf. Bernhardt, the author of several best-selling legal thrillers, was lured into leaving the courtroom when literary agent Robert Gottlieb suggested a mystery set at the Masters. (Note to Bob: You forgot to ask Bernhardt if he knew the difference between a driver and a nine-iron.) It would take pages to detail all the golf-related howlers in this surrealistically bad novel, but here's a taste: water hazards on golf courses are never called "water traps"; there are no pot bunkers at Augusta National; you don't tee off with a nine-iron on a 450-yard hole, even if it is your "favorite club"; pros don't "lay up" on a par-three hole; Masters competitors don't need to wait for the official scores to be "posted" in the clubhouse to know who won; and on and on and on. Howlers aside, the plot (bad-boy pro grows up, finds his game, solves murders) is ludicrous; the cops are almost as unrealistic as the golfers; and the dialogue is constipated with lame backstory. Hype (the novel's publication is timed to this year's Masters) and Bernhardt's past successes may generate some initial demand for this fiasco, but buy cautiously. Golfers will be insulted, and Bernhardt's fans will be waiting in vain for a courtroom scene.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2001, American Library Association.)