The Forger's Forgery by Clay Small

 

Henry Lindon is a university professor.  He has just taken a semester off from his institution in Dallas to take a job lecturing in Amsterdam.  Henry leaves for his new job; his wife Mary Lou is to follow.  He finds his university supplied apartment with the help of his official liaison and upstairs neighbor, Bernadette, an art professor at the same university.

When Mary Lou arrives, it is with bad news.  A figure from their past, Wheeless Kessler, is back.  Kessler who ran an investment trust was jailed after allegations of sexual harassment and worse from multiple women.  He is even suspected of murder in the case of his niece and police officer Esmerelda Ortiz is still working that case.  The Lindons have reason to despise Kessler as he was instrumental in importing dangerous toys that Mary Lou sold unknowingly through her business.  When the danger of the toys was revealed, she lost her business as she tracked down and bought back the toys from as many customers as she could find.  Mary Lou also has a personal reason to hate Kessler dating back to her high school days.  She had been okay while Kessler was in prison but he has somehow found a way to make his victims retract their stories and get released.  Now she is back living in fear.

The couple, with the help of Bernadette and Henry's brother Marvin, decide that they need to take care of Kessler once and for all.  Henry comes up with an audacious plan, brought to him by the presence of Bernadette with her art background and a new book about a master forger.  Will the plan do as Henry suspects and put Kessler out of business once and for all?  Will Ortiz find the evidence to tie him to the murder?

This is the second book in the Henry Lindon series.  The main story is interesting and the plot is full of twists and turns.  The only quibble is that the story moves back and forth in time and location between Amsterdam and Texas which can be confusing for some readers.  I listened to this novel and the narrator was perfect and logical without being overly dramatic just as Henry's personality was logical.  This book is recommended for mystery readers.