The Mongoose Deception    by Robert Greer Order:  USA  Can Frog, Ltd, 2007 (2007) Hardcover Read an Excerpt     Reviewed by Mary Ann Smyth A new theory on the Kennedy assassination is the main thrust of Robert Greer's The Mongoose Deception. Though it has a convoluted plot that takes concentration to keep straight, excitement runs through the story, never really letting up. While the Warren Commission worked to place the blame for the death of President Kennedy, waves of conjecture involved the mob. That was dismissed at the time, but not so in The Mongoose Deception. This story takes us back to 1963 and then moves forward to today with great ease. This leap involves a number of characters, who are almost too real. They are finely drawn and scary in their behavior. Author Greer keeps the story moving with PI CJ Floyd traveling from the mountains of Colorado to Creole country in Louisiana, following the movements of Sugar Sweet Ducane in 1963. Ducane may have been hired to make the hit, but he disappeared and the issue died with him. Ducane's long-suffering mother keeps a vigil for her son that spans the years. Ex-mafia don Mario is now an antiques dealer and Floyd's partner in that enterprise. A woman thought killed in a car wreck years before is being sought. Greer tends to use long sentences that require attention so as not to lose the drift. He also tends to name his characters with the same initial letter - such as Rollie, Ron, Randall and Roselli - making it difficult to keep them separate. That aside, descriptions of the backdrop at times put me right in the scene. The tight dialogue moves the story along nicely, and the prose excels. Listen to a podcast interview with the author at WrittenVoices.com Note: Opinions expressed in reviews and articles on this site are those of the author(s) and not necessarily those of BookLoons. Find more Mystery books on our Shelves or in our book Reviews