Murder Machree

In this subtly compelling good-twin/bad-twin story, Boylan ( Murder Observed ) writes with such credibility that readers will suspect her characters of existence beyond the pages of her book. Widow Clara Gammage is surprised when Armand Evers, one of the twin brothers of Clara's childhood friend Rachael, drops in unexpectedly at a family gathering in Cape Cod. Armand tells a wild story about his father's philandering that casts doubt on Rachael's legitimacy and threatens her claim to the family fortune; he caps his tale with the suggestion that someone is trying to murder him. Clara calls Rachael at her home in Ireland to describe Armand's visit, only to hear her friend say that Armand is sitting next to her. After one twin is murdered while both are in New York City, Clara and her cousin Charles fly to Ireland to trace the mystery and prevent anyone from harming Rachael. The terror that builds as the killer stalks Boylan's appealing cast--all of whom, including Clara's married son and Rachael's poet grandson, are fully realized characters--will engross even the most demanding readers. (Mar.)