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Mystery/Thriller Book ReviewsPage Five of FiveHasty Retreat by Kate GallisonDell, Apr., 1998.Hardcover, 247 pages. ISBN: 0440224101. Ordering information: Amazon.com. | Amazon.co.uk 
What Mother Lavinia Grey really needs is some rest and
relaxation and a chance to get away from her problems
at St. Bede's church. The opportunity to spend a few days
at a quiet Episcopal monestary sounds heaven-sent. So with
her good friend Deacon Deedee Gilchrist and a few parishioners,
Mother Lavinia sets off for the retreat. Before long, Mother Vinnie begins to
notice some odd happenings at the monastary which are interfering
with her spiritual repose: mysterious comings and goings by the
monks, beautiful furniture which appears and disappears and obnoxious
guests . When elderly Brother Basil goes missing it's clear that
something is amiss at the monastary, so naturally amateur sleuth
and Episcopal priest Mother Vinnie takes on the challenge.
What she finds is a tangled web of secrets and someone
who is willing to commit violence in order to cover them up.
This is the fourth mystery by Kate Gallison starring priest and amateur sleuth Mother Vinnie. A light, cozy who-done-it with an ecclesiastical flair, Hasty Retreat is a charming book with a popular and amusing heroine. A delightful read for those who enjoy a religious amateur sleuth in the vein of Ralph McInerny's. Murder Takes a Break by Bill CriderWalker & Co., Oct., 1997.Hardcover, 184 pages. ISBN: 0802733085. Ordering information: Amazon.com. | Amazon.co.uk 
Galveston private eye Truman Smith hates missing person cases
so when his
friend Dino shows up on his doorstep asking him to investigate
the disappearance during Spring Break of University of Texas
student Randall Kirbo, Truman knows the case will be trouble.
He's right. Kirbo was last seen at a party given at a beach house
owned by notorious local crook Big Al. As Truman digs deeper
he finds out that the body of a young girl that washes up on
the beach
is probably related to the Kirbo disappearance. Smith knows
he's on the right trail when his digging elicits a violent response
from Big Al's goons. As the case wears on, Smith must work to
prove what happened that night at the beach party and keep himself
and Dino out of harm's way.
Murder Takes a Break is another pleasing entry from the hand of Bill Crider. His prose is as smooth as ever and the subtle humor and detailed backdrop of Galveston and South Texas add flavor to the tale. Fans of Truman Smith are in for a treat with his latest adventure. Soma Blues by Robert SheckleyForge, Feb., 1998.Trade Paperback, 222 pages. ISBN: 0312865791. Ordering information: Amazon.com. | Amazon.co.uk 
Ex-hippie and sometime p.i. Hob Draconian
generally is pleased with life. After moving to
the small Spanish isle of Ibiza during the
60s he decided to start the Alternative
Detective Agency -- mostly as an alternative
to steady employment. But clients actually
showed up and Hob was in business. His latest
client wants him to investigate the death of his
brother from an overdose of a new drug called
Soma, a powerful narcotic which has been making
its way around
the chic set in Paris. Hob's investigation will
lead him from Paris to Ibiza to London and back
again as he becomes embroiled in an international
drug ring and the strange cult that uses the drug. Hob has
only his wits and his not inconsiderable charm to assist him in
cracking the drug ring and keeping himself alive.
A new Robert Sheckley novel is always cause for rejoicing for his fans who love his irreverent, clever style and fast-paced plots. Hob Draconian is a likeable eccentric who still hasn't gotten used to the idea of working for a living, but somehow manages to run a fairly profitable detective agency. His charm and aplomb as he runs into the inevitable cast of zany characters which people a Sheckley novel make for a fascinating read. Mystery Reviews Page One | Page Two | Page Three | Page Four Return to Book Reviews Index ** To visit the archives of mystery books reviewed in The IWJ, please click here. |