Morty Martinez, now wealthy and living the good life in
Baja California, figures it will be easy to honor Father
Gomez's request to retrieve a sacred relic for his La Paz
diocese. The holy relic, a gold ring once worn on the
finger of a legendary conquistador, was stolen off the
finger contained within a box at the orphanage bearing the
conquistador's name. After 55 years, Father Gomez now knows
who took the ring -- discount-chain billionaire Robert Tyson
Grant. And the priest is confident Grant will be willing to
return the ring to its rightful place of honor once he
knows of its history. Well, think again, padre.
Grant did not make his money being a sentimental softy, as
Monty soon finds out. No sooner does he arrive in New York
and meet with Grant than Monty finds himself up to his
eyeballs juggling a myriad of double-crossing murder plots
involving Grant and a quirky cast of characters (Grant's
salacious mistress, his scandalous stepdaughter, a
rapacious fortune teller and a blundering ax-happy
assassin) each with their own get-rich-quick-and-be-famous
schemes. Entangled in all this quagmire, Monty eventually
ends up in a jail cell awaiting execution.
Told by Monty from his Mexican jail cell the night before
he's to be shot, RINGER is an amusingly delightful crime
novel. The diverse cast of quirky characters and the
elaborate plot, as well as Monty's wry and insightful
narrative, provides pure reading pleasure. Wiprud has a
true talent for writing witty crime fiction, and I can't
wait for his next book!
Charged with recovering a sacred relic for his La Paz
diocese, Morty Martinez hunts down a gold ring that rests
on the finger of New York City billionaire Robert Tyson
Grant. The holy quest lands Morty squarely in murderous
cross plots between the billionaire and his tabloid-prone
stepdaughter, Purity.
Grant’s conniving girlfriend, a decapitation-happy hit man
and an avaricious fortune teller have their own agendas
that put Morty at the center of a sensational murder trial
in Mexico. All as told by Morty the night before his
execution.