Category: New Mystery

Book Review: GALLOWS COURT (2018) by Martin Edwards

9/2/2019

One of the biggest surprises for the reader of the highly enjoyable Gallows Court is the discovery that prolific author Martin Edwards has delivered a thriller instead of the classically clued mystery story that might be expected. I have no complaints, since the plot gallops along and there are more than enough puzzles to work out regarding hidden motives and lurking dangers. But because Edwards is a leading scholar of Golden Age Detective fiction – his thoroughly researched history of The Detection Club, The Golden Age of Murder (2015), is a delightful and formidable achievement – and because of the story's plum setting of 1930 London, I had expected a whodunit in the Christie cosy tradition. Instead, Gallows Court fuses the immediacy and intrigue of a John Buchan thriller with a 21st century tolerance (and thirst?) for grimmer, grittier stakes in both politics and crime drama.

Jacob Flint, an underdog reporter for The Clarion, is beguiled by a mysterious woman. Rachel Savernake has apparently been a part of the machinations that brought two wealthy murderers to justice, men who killed and disposed of women who were no longer of value to them. One burning question, however, is just what Rachel's role may be: is she a detective or an avenging demon? The daughter of a rich, severe, and (if the rumors are true) insane judge, Rachel Savernake might have a longer game to play, and one that could very likely use and dispose of Jacob the journalist like a pawn in a chess match. As more deaths occur and some violent attacks are made on Jacob Flint and his allies, the vulnerable reporter needs to discover who Rachel Savernake is and what her dangerous endgame might be.

With Gallows Court, the author has constructed an engrossing genre hybrid that makes the most of the narrative elements that keep mystery and suspense fiction humming along. An atmosphere of genuine menace builds as amateur detective proxy Flint travels deeper into the trap and those around him begin to meet brutal fates that he just narrowly avoids. Edwards populates his novel with many smartly sketched supporting characters, and, like Jacob, the reader must decide who can be trusted and who might turn deadly. The narrative is interlaced with diary entries from Juliet Brentano, a captive on Judge Savernake's isolated island, and she accuses Rachel Savernake of killing her parents (no spoiler; we read this passage before Rachel appears). It's a masterful setup, and one that keeps the reader guessing about whether the enigmatic Rachel will prove to be a sympathetic heroine or a loathsome villain… or even a combination of the two.

While the book is great, fast-paced fun and has much to recommend, I personally found the intriguing opening and first half of Gallows Court more engaging than its end chapters, after much has been revealed (I was ahead of a few of the twists) and the resolution is left to attend to the various plot threads. The observation is actually a credit to Martin Edwards, who delivered such a propulsive Act One and engrossing Act Two that one can forgive a little restlessness before the falling of the final curtain. I would have also enjoyed watching Jacob Flint actively put together the pieces that he has been astutely collecting on his own; instead he gets an assist from a deceased fellow detective (via a Dictaphone recording) who has already done the heavy lifting. But these are minor quibbles, and Gallows Court has many dark pleasures to discover for mystery fans who don't mind a walk down the wilder streets and alleys of 1930s London.

I am happy to report that the amazing Poisoned Pen Press will be releasing Gallows Court on September 17, 2019 for American eBook and print audiences. I received an advance reading copy via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. My UK peers have already had a year to enjoy this tale, and you can find their positive prior reviews on their sites, from Kate at crossexaminingcrime, Sarah at CrimePieces, and The Puzzle Doctor at In Search of the Classic Mystery Novel.

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Book Review: SURVIVE OR DIE (2019) by Catherine Dilts

6/22/2019

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Author Catherine Dilts knows her way around the Colorado outdoors. So do most of her characters in Survive or Die, a reality television twist on the murderer-in-our-midst scenario found in mystery fiction. Catherine is the creator of the Rock Shop Mysteries and a regular contributor to Alfred Hitchcock's Mystery Magazine, and despite her busy schedule she has also participated in my first two Mitchell Mystery Reading Group book reads. I always enjoy the lively, active characters she creates, their strong sense of motivation and morals (even when said morals are bent or broken), and intriguing outdoor settings that often pit people against the harsh realities of nature.

-Survive or Die follows a motley group of factory workers as they gather for a mandatory week-long retreat in the Colorado woods. Their saturnine and increasingly drunken boss, Jack Bender, has hired ex-TV host Rowdy Hunter to create a Survivor-like series of challenges that will force his employees to choose teams and fight to keep their current jobs. The rope bridges and ATV obstacle courses may not be the real threat, though: it is clear that injuries, attacks, and even death are occurring at an alarming rate.

Aubrey Sommers thought husband Grant was providing a romantic getaway for them both, away from kids and clutter, only to find herself separated from him, sleeping in a tent, and part of a competing team. Sotheara Sok is on an environmental mission and needs to use the contest as cover to hunt for treasure of a different and dangerous kind. Berdie Placer, the old but tough-as-nails company receptionist, has a family score to settle. Together with Madison Wilhelm, a friendly figure initially ill-suited to the concept of "roughing it", the women form the team Stockton's Revenge, relying on each other for support and survival.

It is largely through their eyes that we view this wet and wild world, and as the contest begins and the book continues, it is Aubrey, Berdie, Sotheara, and Madison who evoke much of the reader's interest and empathy. It also helps that almost everyone else could be considered a potential killer, so we are more inclined to trust the ladies, especially as they become active in investigating the death of a photographer who was allergic to bees. When an unlikely few found their way into his cabin room, the victim's always handy epinephrine pen was suspiciously out of reach.

As the week pushes on and physical attacks (involving tripwires, flying arrows and tossed rocks) on the contestants escalate, Aubrey wonders if she'll be able to escape in time with her husband before a restless killer claims another victim. Survive or Die builds to a memorable climax as the women protagonists -- now separated and trying to get back to camp after a violent storm brings new dangers to the group -- confront the criminal(s) and uncover some unpalatable truths.

Some personal impressions regarding this energetic, busy mystery novel: for me, the story came together about a quarter of the way through, and once it hit its stride, it was very engaging indeed. The initial chapters suffered from the need to set up the many subplots and from the sheer number of characters at camp (over 40 employees are initially gathered to compete, not counting Rowdy's cooks and crew). Those numbers dwindle quickly, and once the reader becomes familiar with Dilts's designated heroes, the plotline snaps into focus and the book becomes more convergent.

Similarly, the paradox of factory owner Jack Bender, by all accounts a selfish and misanthropic man, providing a week-long company retreat for his employees (presumably with paid vacation, as no one complains about missing income) meant I needed to wait until the book's second half before I could learn more about circumstances that would provide context for the choice. I enjoyed the deft brushstrokes applied to the many supporting characters that painted brief, intriguing portraits of each person, their personality, their role at Bender's Clips, and the motivation that drives or limits them in the contest and in life.

I have always been a fan of mystery settings that isolate a group of people and plots that turn up the tension. J. Jefferson Farjeon's Mystery in White has his travelers stranded by a snowstorm in a country manor where murder may have just occurred, while Agatha Christie brings And Then There Were None's fated guests to Indian Island, with no means of escape. Catherine Dilts makes good use of her woods-and-mountains Colorado backdrop to trap and challenge her characters, and she keeps the perceived safety of civilized society just out of their reach.

Survive or Die makes for a fun beach (or woods) read and is available now through Amazon in eBook and print formats.

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Book Review: ARCHIE MEETS NERO WOLFE (2012) by Robert Goldsborough

2/18/2018

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To date, I have not created a single personal review to represent the Nero Wolfe novels of Rex Stout, despite having read (and reread) most of the series in the past two decades. I enjoy the books greatly, not least because Stout does a masterful job balancing elements of the traditional puzzle mystery story with the American milieu of hard-boiled crime. The corpulent Wolfe and his witty, street-smart chronicler Archie Goodwin are wonderful creations that work together in a sort of bristling harmony. Stout is also an instinctive pacer of plot, and every Wolfe mystery pushes forward organically and assuredly, with hardly a false step or story thread cul-de-sac along the way.

A lack of reviews may be due to the fact that I usually pick up and read these books for sheer entertainment: to enjoy the relationship between the larger-than-life, moody detective and his acerbic assistant; to appreciate how Stout imbues in Wolfe a skill to manipulate and mentally outmaneuver both suspects and law enforcement figures; to see whether the world will pressure Wolfe to cater to it (such as leaving the brownstone to attend a conference or answer a subpoena) or whether the sedentary Wolfe will get the world to come to him (which is usually the case). I enjoy every page of a Rex Stout mystery, but I have never wanted to spoil the effect with literary analysis.

Never having read an entry in Robert Goldsborough's continuation of the series – begun in 1986, with currently a dozen titles available – I thought it was definitely time to try a book. Although the eighth Goldsborough title published, I decided on Archie Meets Nero Wolfe, which shows Goodwin arriving in New York City around 1930 and connecting first with amiable private detective Del Bascom. Archie has to work to prove himself, which he does, finding a husband trying to hide out on the isle of Manhattan. When Del is called in as one of the operatives to assist Nero Wolfe on a kidnapping and ransom case, Archie tags along and enters for the first time that famous brownstone with the orchids on the top floor.

The kidnapped boy is Tommie Williamson, and an encounter with the kidnappers at the rendez-vous finds Tommie safe, but the criminals escape with a vast sum in ransom money. Believing that the kidnapping was in part an inside job, Wolfe persuades hotel magnate Burke Williamson to introduce Archie as the family's new chauffeur to solve two problems: he can keep an eye on Tommie in case anything happens again, and he can use his excellent memory of conversations to report discussions from the house staff. Also, the chauffeur position is available because the prior employee, William Bell, has mysteriously disappeared shortly after the kidnapping had concluded.

By necessity, this "origin story" throws Stout's usual winning formula a bit off-balance. As it is a tale of Archie working as an independent operative before he becomes a factotum for Wolfe, there is more gumshoe gunplay and interaction with hard-boiled types than pursuit of a fair-play puzzle solution. The first-person narrative directive is responsible for this focus, but it works here. When Wolfe is allowed a gathering-of-the-suspects moment in the novel's climax, it is a high point to watch the genre pieces lock into place. It's also enjoyable to see familiar faces like Inspector Cramer, Sergeant Stebbins, Saul Panzer, Orrie Cather, and Fred Durkin in attendance. Goldsborough is respectful to Stout's canon, if not especially inspired to do something more with the well-known characters.

There are a few quibbles with an otherwise enjoyable story. As for the kidnapping mystery, there was never a prime suspect assigned in terms of an accomplice at the house (besides the missing and soon-to-be-found-dead Bell), and clues and evidence were scant. As a result, the middle section where Archie speaks with the staff at the Williamson house feels like a rather desultory fishing expedition. Perhaps it is, but there isn't much forward momentum when what's under discussion isn't particularly notable or urgent.

Also, Wolfe continues to spend his own money to track down the guilty persons and receive closure – Tommie has been returned, after all – and this seems out of character. Saul Panzer tells Archie that Wolfe is taking it personally, but understanding his psychology the way that Stout constructs it, I don't know why he would. In 1938's Too Many Cooks, Wolfe does indeed work without a client and without a fee to catch a murderer, but he has three very Wolfean reasons for doing so: he is stuck in West Virginia and does not believe the inept law officials will arrest the right person, so he hopes to speed matters along; suspicion has fallen on one of his rare true friends, chef Marko Vukcic; and by solving the mystery he might just get the coveted, much-guarded recipe for saucisse minuit in return.

There's also the wrong note of Wolfe telling Goodwin outright in his interview that he needs someone to "spur [him] into action," something Archie does with relish in the Stout books, but a step I always presumed was taken through observation of the detective's inclined inertia, not because Wolfe had the humility to request it as part of the job description. Taken in all, though, Archie Meets Nero Wolfe is an enjoyable, if slight, reading experience. And I appreciate that Goldsborough built this action story from a brief reference to a past case in Stout's very first Nero Wolfe story, 1934's Fer-de-Lance.

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Book Review: ECHOES OF SHERLOCK HOLMES (2016)

11/24/2016

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When it comes to the world of Sherlock Holmes, I feel like my enthusiasm is a bit differently aligned than that of the majority of mystery fans. I greatly admire Arthur Conan Doyle’s creation of the first series detective in popular literature, and right from the start he strikes all of the right notes: a sidekick narrator to frame the adventures of the brilliant crime solver; a world mythology that engages and inspires readers; colorful, expressive details within the stories that spark a reader’s imagination (a mysterious speckled band? orange pips inexplicably sent through the mail?). The Holmes adventures are as iconic and as enjoyable as anything produced in the field of mystery fiction that followed them.

As much as I acknowledge the importance, ingenuity, and influence of the Holmes tales, I don’t quite see the canon on the same level of Holy Writ to which scores of other fans elevate it. I’m equally excited about G.K. Chesterton’s Father Brown stories, for example, or Rex Stout’s Nero Wolfe novellas. Holmes came first (with deference to Poe’s C. Auguste Dupin, as well as Arthur Morrison’s Martin Hewitt and some others forgotten by time), and I am not trying to diminish Conan Doyle’s impressive achievement. Instead, I’m merely saying that Holmes has a place with me among other investigators and vivid fictional figures – including Hercule Poirot, Father Brown, Pieter Van der Valk, Mrs. Beatrice Adela Lestrange Bradley, Nero Wolfe, Ellery Queen, Peter Pascoe and Andy Dalziel, and a raft of others – instead of miles in front of them.

So I come to Echoes of Sherlock Holmes, an anthology of new work by writers inspired by Conan Doyle’s stories, as a fan but far from an apostle. I want to make the distinction because it naturally colors my reaction to the seventeen tales collected here. The most successful stories for me were not the ones that required intimate knowledge of the characters and situations of the original adventures – indeed, there are still a fair number of Holmes adventures that I have never managed to read – but the ones that used Conan Doyle’s storytelling to explore new terrain.

Clear standouts include “Irregular” by Meg Gardiner, who uses the concept of the Baker Street Irregulars, Holmes’s network of information-gathering street children, to create a wise and tough young woman named Shaz as she investigates a suspicious suicide in the form of a high-rise fall. Veteran novelist Anne Perry delivers a solid suspense tale with “Raffa”, where a little girl whose mother has been kidnapped appeals to a very ordinary actor for help, and all because he has portrayed Sherlock Holmes on a television program. “Limited Resources” by Denise Mina is also memorable in approach and tone, as a Watson surrogate narrates a story of the murder of obnoxious tourists on a remote Scottish island; here, the observant, reclusive detective is islander Sherry, and the invasion of others into the necessarily close-knit community is well-rendered.

In each of the examples above, the author has chosen to present a new story that is not reliant on great knowledge of the Holmes stories and world. Others, I feel, only become complete when the reader makes the active connection between original source material and new text. For many avid fans of the 221b Baker Street consulting detective, I am certain that such a link is an enticing prospect, and another puzzle to be solved. But I prefer to approach each story on its own terms, and in that regard, perhaps I’m not the ideal audience for the collection.

While I enjoyed John Connelly’s thoughtful “Holmes on the Range”, which used the fantastical notion of a sort of library/retirement home for fictional characters to address the dip in quality between early and late Holmes stories, others fared less well. Dana Cameron’s “Where There is Honey” re-imagines John Watson as a blood-thirsty brawler, with Holmes a kindred carnalist, and it (along with the rather purple prose; one hardly expects Watson to write “Razors seemed to fill my eye sockets”) makes for an uneasy combination of tones. As characters, Watson and Holmes would have also been better off abstaining from the adventure of “Martin X,” and writer Gary Phillips could have recruited other investigators with less iconic ties to look into the locked-room shooting of a controversial professor and black power leader.

Other stories here had some fine merits, while others left me wanting a little more. Michael Scott delivers an intriguing protagonist as a hyper-observant brothel madam looks into “The Crown Jewel Affair”, but the case is solved almost as soon as it starts, with Madam Kitten gathering her evidence and making her deductions offstage. “The Adventure of the Empty Grave” by Jonathan Maberry is more satisfying, and it is the only entry in the collection that attempts to imitate Conan Doyle’s original narrative style. Here, Watson grieves for his friend Holmes after the events at Reichenbach Falls, only to be confronted by a surprising graveside visitor. I found this story more successful than Cory Doctorow’s “The Adventure of the Extraordinary Rendition,” which mires Holmes and Watson in the 21st century quicksand of technological surveillance and governmental abuse of power. It’s an odd final story, and one which almost argues that we have lost the time when deductive reasoning and acute observation can be valued as tools for truth.

Echoes of Sherlock Holmes, edited by Laurie R. King and Leslie S. Klinger, is available now; it is a readable but variable mix of homages to Sherlock Holmes and the man who created him. Sincere thanks to NetGalley and the publishers at Pegasus Books for offering an advance eBook copy of this title in exchange for an honest review.

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Book Review: GALLOWS COURT (2018) by Martin Edwards

Book Review: SURVIVE OR DIE (2019) by Catherine Dilts

Book Review: ARCHIE MEETS NERO WOLFE (2012) by Robert Goldsborough

Book Review: ECHOES OF SHERLOCK HOLMES (2016)

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