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JANUARY - FEBRUARY REVIEWS
THE
Everyone
at the Poor
Maddie has her own psychological problems, which are not made any easier by the
school's authoritarian director, volatile students and somewhat confrontational
staff. If one more person asks, "And how does that make you feel?",
Maddie may be charged with doing someone bodily harm. Things
go from bad to totally terrible when the double suicide of two students rocks
the campus. Since Maddie formed a tight relationship with the boy and girl, she
is convinced that they didn't take their own lives but were actually murdered. A
little digging confirms the fact that there are plenty of skeletons hidden away
in various closets at the school and there are a few staff members who don't
want their secrets exposed to the light of day. In fact, the body count goes up
rather drastically before the local police, with Maddie's help, of course, can
stamp the case closed. Read
saves the biggest surprise of all for the novel's final page and even the most
astute reader probably won't see this ending coming. Stop and think back,
though, after you finish the novel. The author does "play fair" and
the conclusion is nicely, albeit subtly, set up along the way. It
is not really a major problem, but after such a great ending why, you might ask,
did the author's editor allow her to tack on two pages of
"acknowledgments." Read
mentions a whole range of folks from family members, and famous authors to book
store owners and writing group colleagues. I stopped counting after fifty names!
Not only is this not very professional, but it also comes across as
rather tacky.
BLOODY
HALLS
When
one of those dead bodies, that of a student, is found in the deserted lobby of
the college theatre, Marston finds that his position as head of Student Services
has now expanded to include detective work. Although he soon wishes he had
respectfully declined, Marston agrees to the college president's request that he
act as campus liaison with the local police investigating the murder. What
begins as a simple "damage control" assignment becomes more serious as
Marston's careful scrutiny of the faculty and staff suggests City College has
more than a public relations problem on its hands - there's a killer hiding in
their midst as well. Along
with his official and "unofficial" campus assignments, the likeable
amateur sleuth dabbles in the theatre. Being cast in the lead of Ibsen's
"Enemy of the People," Marston finds that his role in the play is
ironically very apropos given how his investigation unfolds. A
former counselor and faculty member at
OSCAR
WILDE AND A DEATH OF NO IMPORTANCE
In
this first of a planned trilogy of mysteries, Brandreth has Wilde stumble upon a
rather ghastly murder involving an adolescent male model who was an acquaintance
of the famed writer. Determined
to unmask the villain responsible for the boy's death, Wilde enlists his friend
Sherard to assume the role of Dr. Watson as he applies Sherlock Holmes' methods
to solve the case. Although he flits in and out of the story, Doyle's primary
role is to offer encouragement to the Holmes-Watson wannabes. The
convoluted investigation with numerous twists and turns acts as a platform to
showcase Brandreth's reincarnation of the gifted and controversial Irish
author/playwright. It is easy to see Brandreth has no trouble slipping into his
protagonist's skin. The dialogue features plenty of the witty quips that
characterize "The Importance of
Being Earnest" and make Wilde's play such a delightful comedy and the
background information appears to be quite accurate. Although
a careful reader might pick up some of the clever clues dropped along the way
that point to the novel's eventual outcome, I'd suggest that one not look too
closely. That way it is possible to maintain the element of surprise, if not
shock, that will accompany the closing chapters. As
many readers know, Oscar Wilde spent two years in jail on charges of gross
indecency. Brandreth doesn't duck
the issues that resulted in the charge and conviction, but since this novel
unfolds before the events leading up to the court case, there is no direct
allusion to it. All
in all, this is a highly entertaining mystery and, no doubt, a work of
literature even Wilde himself would have applauded. THE
PIG DID IT
When
I say this is a quintessentially Irish novel brimming with biting irony and
clever hyperbole, some readers will respond, "Ahh, of course it is very
difficult to categorize! Would it not be anything other than a tad off
center?" For
those wondering what qualifies this as a mystery, consider the following: (a)
The decomposed corpse of a dead man plays a predominant role (non-speaking of
course!) in this tale; (b) Three of the four central characters (with speaking
roles) are suspects in the man's demise; and (c) No one is the least bit
interested in inviting the local police to step in to launch an investigation of
the exhumed corpse's death. (Now if that doesn't suggest skullduggery, I don't
know what does!) Why
the reluctance to stoutly declare this, in no uncertain terms, "a
mystery"? Well, for one thing
there's the problem of decoding who actually is responsible for the violent
demise of the corpse. I can't be
more specific or supply more details without giving away the ending. Next,
there's the puzzling role of the pig. Although certainly not a key member of the
cast, the oinker does make some rather dramatic appearances throughout the
story. Then there's the issue of the title. If taken literally… but no, that
just couldn't be possible - could it? The
first of a projected trilogy (no doubt the second volume will clear up some of
these ambiguities), THE PIG DID IT
offers a strong dram of Irish humor, an eccentric cast of rural characters and
some rather curious plot twists. Most notable, though, is Aaron McCloud, a hero
who rivals Kingsley Amis' bumbling Jim Dixon in the classic novel LUCKY
JIM. Perhaps
the best approach here is to sit back, open a bottle of Guinness, and start
reading. One six pack and 195 pages
later, you'll have made up your own mind as to whether or not this is a
legitimate whodunit. Look for Bob's review of CONSEQUENCES
OF SIN NOVEMBER - DECEMBER REVIEWS SWEETWATER He
may be on convalescent leave, but that doesn't stop Camden While
looking into the disappearance of businessman
John Riley, who just vanished from his office one day, Kennedy meets Father
Vincent O'Connor, a friend of the missing man's wife. Through the priest, the
detective inspector is introduced to a small circle of individuals who have
remained close since their university days. When
one of these people, Harry Ford, a person Kennedy has struck up a friendship
with, is killed, the policeman finds he has a personal stake in the murder
investigation. As he begins to delve into the rather complicated relationship
between the living members of Father O'Connor's coterie, it becomes clear that
they are carrying a lot of baggage from the time they spent together at With
a suspect list that includes individuals at the dead man's work-place, as well
as some social contacts, Kennedy has plenty to keep himself busy. The addition
of a young and enthusiastic new officer to his team makes the job a little
easier, but this turns out to be one of the most convoluted cases Detective
Inspector Christy Kennedy has yet encountered. A
well thought-out plot with interesting twists, engaging characters, and a
likeable protagonist have been the hallmarks of Paul Charles' previous novels.
The author has received stellar reviews from the British press for good reason.
Not only has he created a delightfully low-keyed, down-to-earth detective whose
thoughtful approach is a joy to follow but Charles also doesn't tip his hand too
early, thus allowing the reader to correctly guess the protagonist. The
only down side to this novel is the ridiculously small print the publisher
decided to use. Other than footnotes, I don't believe I have ever seen a
diminutive typeface like this used in a book. The "fine print" here
may well deter some readers and that's a real shame, for this is an excellent
mystery. CAT
DECK THE HALLS Shirley
Rousseau Murphy sends her many fans a special holiday gift with this latest Joe
Grey mystery. The Christmas season is off to a nasty beginning when a reported
murder sends the Molena Point police rushing to the village's upscale mall. Although
no corpse can be found, the officers find enough blood splattered on the gaily
wrapped gifts under the large outdoor Christmas tree in the courtyard to realize
a crime has been committed. The
discovery of a small child cowering nearby apparently provides Police Chief Max
Harper with a witness, but the terrified girl refuses to speak. As has been the
case in the twelve previous novels in the series, feline sleuth Joe Grey, with
the assistance of Dulcie and Kit, will have to feed the police enough leads so
that they will be able to solve this puzzling case. In
addition to cracking the mystery of the mute child/missing body, Chief Harper's
crew (both two legged and four) have another situation developing that demands
their attention. A shadowy "break-and-enter" artist appears to be at
work in the seaside community as well. Apparently there's a valuable art
treasure hidden away in the area that a determined group of thieves are set upon
snatching from right under the nose of the unsuspecting owner. There's
plenty of action in this holiday caper that tests the skills of both humans and
cats alike; plus, the author has some surprises in store with her character mix.
The readers who have come to enjoy watching the relationships between the humans
in the series develop will be delighted to discover Murphy has made some
"adjustments." Featuring
Bob's review of THE
WIDENING STAIN
After spending nearly four decades in the classroom Bob Walch |
