This is very different murder mystery. A story of art dealers and ancient relics, of forgeries and academics. And above all, about people. Each new character is a work of art, described in the articulate detail of an art dealer’s catalogue. And each is an individual par excellence, including one that seems to be a […]
“City Under Siege” by Michael Russell
Today I’m reviewing a book just because I liked it. It has few writing flaws, but it’s a fun read, nonetheless. I’m always interested in a murder mystery where the killer leaves “no clues.” The writer is laying down a challenge, to see how long he can hold the suspense without giving us any possibility […]
“A Murder in Malta” by Ann Crew
Friends suggested this book to me because I am going to Malta next spring, and they thought I might enjoy reading about the island. I was not disappointed. The delightful descriptions of the towns, scenery and food were a joy and a mine of information. Likewise, the characters were fun people to spend a few […]
“The Coven Murders” by Brian O’Hare
This book starts out as a standard murder mystery, involving, as you might expect, the ritual slayings of members of a coven. The police team assigned to the task of solving the murders is a pretty standard bunch, complete with the usual fake antipathy leading to comedic banter between the chief detective and the pathologist. […]
“The Flats” by Kate Birdsall
Despite the title, “The Flats” is not a story about a place. It’s a story about a person. Namely Detective Sergeant Liz Boyle, a wonderfully crafted, multi-dimensional character who develops and grows as the tale progresses. The plot starts off with a gut-wrenching murder – that of a 5-year-old – and revolves around Boyle’s inability […]
“Sleep, Savannah, Sleep” by Alistair Cross
Long ago I discovered that most novels finish exactly the way they start. If a book seems like a certain type of story in the first three chapters, then it will probably end that way. Most novels. Once in a while, we find a book that starts out in one direction but somewhere in the […]