Frederick Ramsay’s debut novel
An Ike Schwartz Mystery
Small-town sheriffs come in all shapes and sizes, but Ike Schwartz, who dominates Ramsay’s solid debut, is both engaging and extravagantly overqualified for the job. Ike retreats to his hometown of Picketsville, Va., and wins the job of sheriff after a personal disaster in a botched CIA operation. In quiet Picketsville, Ike’s biggest worries are domestic squabbles, speeding tickets and an occasional problem with a Callend College student. It’s Callend’s superb art collection, valued at half a billion dollars and protected by a state-of-the-art security system, that changes all that. Funded by terrorists, and using a disaffected federal agent, mobsters plan to hijack the collection and hold it for ransom. The smoothly planned operation goes off with several hitches, including a killing and the taking of hostages. Callend president Ruth Harris, who believes Ike to be the stereotypical small-town sheriff, is screaming for “higher” authorities to take charge. Laid-back but decisive, Ike does that, calling on his experience, his country roots and old allies as he matches wits with the savvy professionals who committed the crime. While Ike emerges as the most fully developed character, several secondary characters stand out as well, as Ramsay nicely mixes town and gown, sophisticates and rustics, thugs and masterminds. Ike Schwartz seems destined for a bright future. -Publishers Weekly, July 19, 2004
“Frederick Ramsay uses a deceptively easy going pace in setting up this thriller, then gradually ratchets up the tension as the stakes grow increasingly higher…The mixture of CIA and FBI expertise, along with country sheriff initiative makes for an exciting read.” — Sally Powers, I Love A Mystery Newsletter
“…solid debut …. Ramsay nicely mixes town and gown, sophisticates and rustics, thugs and masterminds. Ike Schwartz seems destined for a bright future.” — Publisher’s Weekly
“Ramsay spins a masterful tale full of suspense of the nail-biting variety. His characters, both male and female, are well-drawn, and the portrait of small-town life realistic. This is a first novel, and a very good read.” — Mystery Morgue
