Robertson, Paul 1957- (Paul J. Robertson)

PERSONAL:

Born 1957.

CAREER:

Writer, educator, and consultant. Works as a part-time computer programming consultant and a part-time high school math and science teacher. Previously owned a bookstore in Blacksburg, VA.

WRITINGS:

The Heir (novel), Bethany House (Minneapolis, MN), 2007.

SIDELIGHTS:

In his debut novel, The Heir, which I Love a Mystery Newsletter contributor Michelle Connell called "a profound and very well written first novel," Paul Robertson tells the story of Jason Boyer. Jason, along with his brother, Eric, has been living off of his wealthy and successful father for years. When his father dies suspiciously, Jason finds that he is the sole heir to his father's fortune. Jason begins to follow in his father's footsteps with underhanded dealings in business and politics until his conscience gets the better of him and he decides to go public with some of his father's more shady dealings. However, many people stand to have their reputations and careers ruined. As a result, Jason doesn't know who to trust as people get murdered and he suspects that he is also a target. John Mort, writing in Booklist, called The Heir a "suspenseful first novel with a lot of humor and well-drawn minor characters." Armchair Interviews Web site contributor Connie Anderson praised the author's writing talents, noting: "A dozen of his sentences were so powerful, so visual, so telling, I had to write them in my own journal to read again later."

BIOGRAPHICAL AND CRITICAL SOURCES:

PERIODICALS

Booklist, January 1, 2007, John Mort, review of The Heir, p. 58.

ONLINE

Armchair Interviews,http://armchairinterviews.com/ (August 28, 2007), Connie Anderson, review of The Heir.

I Love a Mystery Newsletter,http://www.iloveamysterynewsletter.com (August 28, 2007), Michelle Connell, review of The Heir.

New Mystery Reader Magazine,http://www.newmysteryreader.com/ (August 28, 2007), Anne K. Edwards, review of The Heir.