This is the last book of the month. I read another of R. T. Campbell's mysteries a while ago, Bodies in a Bookshop. I enjoyed that one, but I thought this one dragged.
There are two murders, both rather close to the beginning of the book, both by cyanide. Both occur off the page, so there's very little action involved in either. After the murders, Professor John Stubbs, a botanist, proceeds to puzzle out the solution, again, with very little action. For me, that's a lot of not doing much, a lot of talking and thinking. Because the murders take place at a scientific conference, almost anyone could be the murderer.
The characters are different in this book, except for Stubbs, the loud, portly amateur detective who likes his pint. There's still humor, though. The author references several well-known mystery writers, like Edgar Wallace and Agatha Christie, in passing, joking about fictional detectives.
Of the two R. T. Campbell books I've read, I prefer Bodies in a Bookshop, maybe because it starts in a bookshop.
I will have to look for Bodies in a Bookshop. Seems like a have seen some other positive reviews of that recently, maybe at Peggy's blog?
ReplyDeleteYes, it was Peggy who brought this author to my attention. I really enjoyed Bodies in a Bookshop. Although Unholy Dying was a little slow for me, I'm willing to try another R. T. Campbell mystery.
DeleteI agree Bodies in a Bookshop was probably the best of the two. There is a lot of jibber jabber in his books but they are entertaining and make me chuckle. If I come across another one I'd read it but I don't think I would search one out.
ReplyDeleteI was probably swayed by the bookshop setting, too. I much prefer that to the setting of a scientific convention. Professor Stubbs is pretty funny, though.
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