The Black Dove by Steve Hockensmith

My summary/review:

As Otto, one of the main characters would say: "This book is a fun read OR, a great way to enjoy suspense and get a sense of 1890s Chinatown." Mystery fans will enjoy "The Black Dove", the third in the "Holmes on the Range" series by Edgar-award nominated author Steve Hockensmith. Otto and Gustav Amlingmyer are applying for detective work in 1890s San Francisco, after a disaster on the Southern Pacific Railroad ended their train detective careers. Even though they are more at home on a ranch than in the city, Gustav's abilities to "deducify" situations a la Sherlock Holmes have led them to apply for work at the world-renowned Pinkerton Detective Agency. When their friend from the Southern Pacific, Doctor Chan, dies mysteriously, the brothers enlist the help of their old friend, the persausive Diana Corvus, to hunt the killer down. Filled with plot twists and a surprisingly tragic ending, "The Black Dove" manages to be incredibly funny AND suspenseful!



My Notes:
Listening to this as an audiobook, readers get treated to a narrator who can do Western accents, as well as a surprisingly good voice for Diana.

Theodore Boone, Kid Lawyer by John Grisham

Book Summary

Thirteen year old amateur lawyer Theodore Boone has unwittingly become wrapped up in his town's largest murder trial.

My Review

In Theodore Boone, Kid Lawyer, John Grisham has written a mystery/suspense novel that is neither mysterious nor suspenseful. Grisham passes by many chances to introduce action to the novel, and there is no mystery. The law information that Grisham introduces to readers slows down the pace of the plot. 

Devoted young mystery readers should seek out other authors and novels, including:

Richard Scrimger's "From Charlie's Point of View" and
Brian Doyle's "Angel Square"

Young mystery readers will also enjoy Graeme Base's illustrated books: "The Eleventh Hour" and "Enigma"

No More Victims

Natasha Cooper. No More Victims. Great Britain: BBC Audiobooks and Barrington Stoke, 2008.

Summary

Candy and her son Adam are trying to put their past behind them. Candy has recently been divorced, and Adam is constantly bullied at school. When one of Adam's classmates is murdered, Candy is horrified, and suspects that her son is keeping a deadly secret. When she falls in love with one of the detectives, the situation becomes almost too hard to handle.

Review
Natasha Cooper is a notable mystery author, who was Chairman of the Crime Writers' Association in 2000/2001. "No More Victims" is part of the series "Shortlist books", whose books are written for a fast-paced read. Beginning readers will enjoy this book, which is published in a vision-friendly large print. It is quite a thin mystery novel, and easy to tuck into a purse or briefcase for a quick, on-the-go read. The one area that this book lacks in is character development, as the histories and thoughts of characters are not provided. Otherwise, it is quite an enjoyable mystery.

Talking About Detective Fiction

Book Information

P. D. James. Talking about Detective Fiction. Knopf, December 2009.

My review

When you are looking for a new read, do you often find yourself heading towards the mystery section? Are you interested in history? "Talking about Detective Fiction" by P.D. James (who wrote the Adam Dalgliesh mysteries) covers the highlights of the history of the English detective novel, from its beginnings in the 1700s and 1800s to recent mystery fiction, including the Inspector Morse novels. James analyses the novels in light of the social history that influenced the time in which they were written.

James' clear writing style, combined with the cartoons sprinkled throughout the book, make this a breezy, enjoyable read.


Personal Notes
I picked this book up for a several reasons. What grabbed my attention first was the format of the book. It's quite small, and with its large margins, I knew it would not be a difficult read. Most importantly, I enjoy reading mysteries. At this moment, my favourite mystery author is G. K. Chesterton (Fr. Brown mystery story anthologies), although I really enjoy Charlaine Harris too, since she writes real page-turners.

Read This Book Already?
Try The Suspicions of Mr. Whicher: A Shocking Murder and the Undoing of a Great Victorian Detective by Kate Summerscale. It's about the gruesome Road Hill House murder that inspired the writings of both Wilkie Collins and Charles Dickens.