Murder Begins at Home

A mobster persuades PI Matt Doyle to protect his family in this final mystery by the late Gilbert. Back for their third outing ( The Black Star Murders ), Doyle and his armchair colleague, Carter Winfield, are aware of John Carnuzzi's reputation and resist the offer until a small fortune is delivered concealed in an acid bomb. Despite Doyle's presence inside the well-guarded household, however, family members succumb to ostensible drug overdoses; and Carnuzzi himself is shot. But these events are separated by needless tangents and asides, slowing an already desultory plot. In fact, it's the pretentious Winfield who has the best grasp of the situation, but he doesn't share his explanation until the last page--which is followed, unsurprisingly, by an epilogue. Carnuzzi's scheme may have been a clever one, but this posthumously published yarn dilutes it. (Aug.)