Ruth Irwin

Past Perfect Ruth Irwin

Henie pushing forty, never married, and wanting a fresh start, arrives at the door of Sylvia Blum. She rents the guest cottage from the widow and former socialite, a pleasant twist of fate for both. In spite of the age gap, they become close friends and confidants, though neither is given to discussing personal or unpleasant matters. Sam Bradley is a happily divorced man. The successful attorney and Henie find the greatest love in their September years when they have enough experience behind them to know the difference. They are meant for each other. Things begin to unravel when two unrelated events occur. First, Sam and his old friend, Brian Flarhety, are attacked outside of Brian's apartment by a raging schizophrenic. Second, the arrival of a rogue cop, Deputy Bentley Bowman, newly assigned to the beach community where Henie and Sylvia Blum reside. Bowman snoops around looking for a "mark." An innocent bit of gossip from a fellow cop who is about to retire, gets his full attention. The death of Sylvia Blum's husband was listed as accidental. This hard on the heels of another accident just down the road, a fatal shooting, within a year, stretches Bowman's idea of credibility. He decides blackmail is his path to early retirement. There is yet another accident, payoff, a trip to Mexico, and payback. To further complicate matters, a new will on which the ink is barely dry. Don't expect tidy and predictable. Nobody ever told you that life is like that. The characters are so natural, they leap from the pages. Their interaction and dialog will tug at your heart and expose the vulnerable side you keep carefully concealed.