The Trust by Ronald H. Balson (2017 fiction)
Estranged from his family in Northern Ireland 16 years ago, Private Investigator Liam Taggert receives a phone call asking him to return for his uncle’s funeral. Upon arriving, he discovers (1) that the death was no accident, and (2) that he has been designated trustee for his uncle’s trust. The terms of the trust provide that its provisions remain secret until his uncle’s killer has been identified and brought to justice. While he would have preferred to decline the duty and return to his wife and child in Chicago, Liam feels bound to follow his family’s wishes and try to determine who killed Uncle Fergus. Was this revenge from a 40-year-old feud from the time of the Irish Troubles? Was it one of the beneficiaries of the trust? All Liam knows is that all of a sudden the other family members begin receiving death threats, including his wife in Chicago, and so he begins his quest. This is a detailed and well-written mystery that includes a great deal of this history of the Troubles as well as the convoluted investigation itself. While many theories are presented, the reader doesn’t find out who is behind the murders and threats until the exciting climax. Recommended.
Reviewed by Ginger Russell
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