I think this novel suffered by being the second in a "series" where the author decided to change the central detective after the first novel. Flick Fortune appears to have been a detective sergeant in the first novel, and has been recently promoted into the position vacated when her old boss retired. Unfortunately for her the author has decided to give him a role as a private investigator on Flick's first case as a detective inspector.

The plot has a lot of potential: the first murder takes place in Scotland on the second tee of the most famous golf course in the world; but the bank is that employs the victim is an English one that has already come to the attention of the English police for its money laundering activities. The board of the bank is having a weekend away at St. Andrew's to attempt to resolve a board vacancy and some irregularities. The murder victim is one of the directors.

But for me the writing didn't quite hit the mark. The business of money laundering becomes quite complex and involves a shady American bank and some gangster like figures. While Flick Fortune is in charge of the murder investigation, an under cover cop does what he likes with the money laundering investigation. There are some unlikely scenarios towards the end of the story. ( )

Murder on the Second Tee, by Ian Simpson, is a carefully detailed and believably plotted police procedural set at the iconic St. Andrews Links in Scotland. The body of Hugh Parsley, a director of the United Kingdom's Bucephalus Bank, has been found on the Old Course's second tee with his face and head bashed in. Parsley is a member of a party of eleven Bucephalus bank officials who have gone to St. Andrews for a series of off-site business meetings, accompanied by their spouses or partners. The bank's chairman had recently died in a suspicious accident and they planned on electing a successor at the meetings, among other business. Detective Inspector Flick Fortune is heading up the murder investigation, her first case as an inspector. She is nervous and quite insecure in her new position, her new boss having just informed her that, for political reasons, he will not back her if there are any problems. Meanwhile, Detective Sergeant Bagawath Chandavarkar, known as 'Baggo', is at the golf club undercover, investigating the bank's possible money laundering. Additionally, Noel Osborne, formerly 'inspector No' and Flick's chauvinistic and sleazy ex-boss, has been hired by one of the bank directors, ostensibly to find the murderer.

The story is told from these three individual's points of view. We see that No is a venal slob; Flick and Baggo cooperate but pursue their independent investigations. The reader is privy to most of the questioning of the suspects and, between personal dislikes, jealousies and grudges, the ambitions and collusions members have to be named the new bank chairman, the interpersonal behavior of their spouses and partners, and the bank's possible involvement in fraud and money laundering, motives abound! Since they are all staying at the Old Course Hotel, they all have opportunity. So, unless a smoking gun is turned up, determining the truth in the various alibis is critical. We can only watch and take notes [it's necessary!] as we accompany Flick and Baggo on their separate investigations.

While we learn a lot about the various suspects, unfortunately we don't learn very much about Flick Fortune, except that she's terribly insecure. While she is the main protagonist, it's actually Baggo and No who come across as more fully-developed characters. The level of energy portrayed throughout the story remains relatively constant - there is very little excitement, suspense or tension built up; nor does the story descend into depression when little progress is made. It would seem that persistence and stubborn focus are what's really needed to be successful as a detective. Unfortunately, the entire activity of the novel is the interviewing of suspects and reporting the results to the other policemen, with little variation in the tenor of the discourse. This makes a story that is interesting for its realism, but not very gripping.

I received a free copy of this book from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. ( )