A sensational first novel for a number of reasons. The important characters are all women. Specifically, four women perfect a time travel procedure; there is no emphasis on technology, the reality of time travel is treated as a matter-of-fact occurrence. Instead, as the title indicates, the story is about the psychological consequences of time travel. Future versions of an individual can co-exist. How do you cope with knowledge about your future self: who you marry, how you die? And finally, the book contains a cracking good mystery. Very entertaining.
Category: Mystery
A Deadly Divide – Ausma Zehana Khan
Inspector Esa Khattak and Sgt. Rachel Getty of the Canadian Community Policing (Ethnic Division) investigate a mass killing at a Quebec mosque. In addition to providing a really excellent murder mystery plot, this story is obviously topical in Canada but also topical world-wide given the New Zealand mosque attack. The issue of radicalization to white supremacy causes is treated intelligently. Khattak and Getty make a formidable team, much like Elizabeth George’s Lynley and Havers. A thoroughly enjoyable read.
Big Sky – Kate Atkinson
Hurray, Ms. Atkinson has written a fourth Jackson Brodie novel, a much anticipated gift to the detective-mystery genre. Brodie is in North Yorkshire and has time to be unusually introspective, often with hilarious internal dialog punctuated by pithy comments (in parentheses) from ex-partner Julia. The first third of the book is all character development, a rich cast of quirky individuals. Indeed, the first crime does not occur until the end of 100 pages. The story does take a gritty look at topical themes, from child abuse to human trafficking. Brodie is a delightful character and this book is a must-read!
Death at La Fenice – Donna Leon
In my comments of The Temptation of Forgiveness (May 2018), it was noted this was the 27th Inspector Brunetti book. Death at La Fenice is the first, written in 1992. This origin story is notable for its initial definition of Brunetti as a crime investigator: he works alone without computers or fancy forensics, he listens and thinks. His warm loving family life is featured here as in all the Leon books; there is a simply glorious account of a Monopoly game with his wife and children. Thanks Amy, for this delightful read.
In A House Of Lies – Ian Rankin
After more than 20 Inspector Rebus books, the stories are as good as ever. This most recent book has a Rankin characteristic, a complex plot with two cold cases. A dazzling feature of the Rebus stories is that lies, deceit and corruption are pretty evenly divided between the police and the criminals. These Rebus stories are also becoming more philosophical as he ages and deals with the medical and moral consequences of a mis-spent life. Very entertaining.
A Matter of Malice – Thomas King
Thumps DreadfulWater (wonderful name) is a Cherokee ex-cop trying to live a quiet life in a small town in Montana. Thomas King is a very fine writer (The Back of the Turtle, An Inconvenient Indian) so the writing is much better than the average murder mystery. King captures the world-weary aspect of DreadfulWater, how a mind can wander and then snap back into focus. Now I am going to read the first three books in this series.
Hysteria – Elisabeth de Mariaffi
De Mariaffi was a discovery at the Calgary WordFest in October 2018. This is a very fine mystery because of the context: upper state New York in 1956. There is an early sinister feeling in the book that develops effortlessly. Heike’s husband is very controlling but this was just typical of men in the 1950s. Or is it something more? Or is Heike delusional? The mystery deepens …..
