Lowly’s Book Blog

This review has been published in Buzz magazine.

A Watery Grave is the first book in Joan Druett’s Wiki Coffin series of books. On the cover they appear to be a seafaring adventure along the lines of Master and Commander or the Hornblower series, but once you are into the story the reader discovers that it is another old-fashioned murder mystery like hundreds of others before.

However, Wiki Coffin is a very unusual sleuth. He is half Maori and half American, raised within his Maori tribe until aged 12 when he was taken to America by his Salem shipcaptain father. Sounds unusual enough but the historical period for the series is 1838. Suddenly Wiki becomes unique. He has the Polynesian origins, American education and then left home, to his step-mother’s relief, and worked on whaling ships across the world, learning practical seamanship within the civilian context. During a short visit to America, Wiki’s school friend George convinces him to sail with the United States Exploring Expedition sailing off to chart the shores of Oregon, map the islands of the Pacific, and officially (as in military) discover Antarctica.

The morning the fleet is due to sail, Wiki is on the bank of the Elizabeth River in Virginia seeking satisfaction in a duel. His opponent never shows, but instead a small rowboat carrying the body of a young woman floats by. As Wiki moves into the water to retrieve the boat, a couple of shots are fired, attracting unwanted attention. Minutes after Wiki pulls the boat to the riverbank, he is arrested for the murder.

Not a bad start. But through the book Druett changes Wiki from the chief suspect to the chief investigator. With intelligence and logic, Wiki looks at all the different possibilities, asking searching questions and eventually coming to accurate conclusions.

But the mystery is only half the story. The reader is also treated to a wonderful seafaring adventure. There are storms, ships lost at sea, tyrannical captains, cannon practice, sharks and all the trappings of a sea voyage in the 1800s. Druett is totally comfortable in the jargon of the sailing vessel, but some of her readers may need a dictionary or even a wallchart of a three-masted schooner that names the masts and sails. I managed because I have recently read the complete Master and Commander series where O’Brien patiently explains everything to us novices. Druett just assumes that if you are interested, you will look it up.

My only complaint is to the publisher. The cover shows a blonde European staring into space. Wiki is half Maori and repeated reference is made to his long black hair. How hard could it be to find a photographic model that suits?

Thank goodness the Buzz editor has also given me book two in this series. I was lucky enough to finish one and move immediately into the next. I’ll tell you about it next issue.

And yet another murder mystery…. This time written by in internationally recognized American author Michael Connelly. It is one of his continuing series featuring police detective Harry Bosch.

Harry has recently been promoted to a Homicide Special squad that only handles cases involving celebrities or other high profile victims or suspects. If the investigation gets too hot for the local cops, it gets shoved uptown to the Special Squad.

A body is found on the Mulholland overlook, next door to a property that used to be owned by Madonna. Obviously the killer isn’t shy of publicity, and the local cops hand over to Homicide Special immediately and happily. The victim was a medical physicist, and therein likes the problem. Just before he was killed, significant amounts of weapons grade radioactive material was stolen from a hospital. Immediately Homeland Security is notified and tries to take over the case.

The Homeland Security investigation is characterised by knee-jerk reactions and over-reactions that panic innocent civilians and officers of the law alike. Harry, on the other hand, stands back with his typical cynicism, ignores the dangerous materials and knows that if he solves the murder, the ‘terrorist’ will be caught. So while everyone else is breaking down doors and demanding files in the interest of national security, Harry looks at the victim, his wife and tries to find a motive for a murder.

Of course, Harry’s way is successful. Any mention of why will spoil the plot, and that’s not fair.

Did I like the book? Yes, considering. A few months ago I read Connelly’s previous book Echo Park and had a lot of misgivings about the character of Harry, and the whole contrived nature of the cold case. I came away from that book simply not caring to read anything else by this author. However, The Overlook is a pleasant surprise. The plot moves quickly, in fact the whole investigation takes only about 24 hours. The result is credible and I even feel the new permanent character in the series, Harry’s new partner, has a lot of room for growth within the series.

In case you hadn’t guessed, I have a complete bookshelf at home of books that I buy for myself intending to read them someday. However reviewing duties and work related reading seem to get in the way of the stuff I want to read for myself. But recently I promised myself that for every 10 books I read for review or for work, one book will come off that shelf for reading. Otherwise, how can I keep buying more?

The first book off the shelf was one that had been waiting for several months, a surprisingly short Patricia Cornwell. This one is not from her famous Kaye Scarpetta series, and the marketing gurus seem to disagree whether it is a one off or the start of a new series. Certainly the characters can comfortably return, you discovered virtually nothing of their personal story in this short book. There is just a hint of more depth, but in 175 pages, there isn’t time to get to know her new investigators.

Cornwell sticks with her strengths, forensic investigation combined with a willingness to think outside the box allows the two detectives revisiting a cold case to solve it. There are a few red herrings and the old incompetent detective, now mercifully dead, and that is only to be expected.

Too much of the plot and the book will be spoiled. Everyone will have their own opinion of this book, just like all the rest Cornwell has written since Postmortem. I’ll just say that I suspect Patricia had some bills that needed paying, and quickly. Or her publisher was pushing her to complete a project for which there had been a healthy advance paid. That can be the only explanation for the quickest wrapping up of a mystery I have ever read in my life.

I really look forward to my annual Alex Delaware. How any author can maintain a character for 21 books is beyond me. Cornwell had a great idea with Kaye Scarpetta, but the series is now getting tired and just too improbable.

Kellerman does not have that problem, perhaps because he doesn’t try to push new boundaries with every book. He is comfortable with his characters. Alex Delaware is a child psychologist and most of the mystery involves psychoses that first revealed themselves in children. Now that the series has been going for many years, Kellerman has the added possibility of adults returning to see a friend from childhood, seeking his help with a new problem.

This book is one of the latter. Tanya was a child Delaware had treated for obsessive behavior. At the advanced age of 19, she makes contact again. Her mother had recently died leaving Tanya a message about a murder. Tanya was to tell Delaware about the death and seek his help finding out what happened.

Obsession brings back all kinds of favourite people from other books in the series. Naturally Robyn and Milo feature prominently, and Spike has been replaced by Blanche. But this time Rick gets to play a significant role, not just significant other, and Petra actually claims the case. And I love Raul. I hope he comes back regularly.

And as for the murder(s)? In the best of Kellerman (Mr) they are caused by truly mentally ill humanitiy. This book is well titled and the perp is totally believable.

And I loved the twist at the end!! Well done.