Lenny Holcomb, veteran obituary writer for the Harrisburg Herald, may be all washed up, but his self-deprecating humor holds more appeal than the flimsy plot device on which this debut mystery is based. The novel opens when Lenny realizes that the dead are communicating with him through their obituaries. Because he goes into a "zone" when he writes, he only gains awareness of these otherworldly insertions when he proofs his drafts. At first, he investigates small stories (like the case of a 12-year-old girl who killed herself to escape her abusive father), but then the aide to Pennsylvania's governor dies and reveals that he's been swindling campaign funds. As Lenny investigates this strange lead, he gets pulled into a web of personal and political corruption sordid enough to satisfy aficionados of the Clinton/Lewinsky scandal. Fortunately for Lenny, each time he reaches an impasse, a character dies and offers clues through his or her obituary. This device will strike some as too convenient, especially since the larger implications of Lenny's gift are never explored. When reporter Luciew focuses on familiar territory—a busy newsroom, or the political scene at Pennsylvania's capital—his writing is assured, but when he enters the realms of mystery and melodrama, the story falters. (Nov.)
