Tag Archives: sleuth

Let Loose the Dogs by Maureen Jennings (2003) – BR00044 (2004) – 🐸🐸🐸🐸🐸

The PolyBlog
October 28 2004

Plot or Premise

Detective Murdoch has family problems — his sister, a cloistered nun, is dying and he can’t even see her to really say goodbye, just through a screen. His drunk of a father is in jail convicted of murder and ready to hang, but proclaiming his innocence — so even though it’s been many years since they spoke, Murdoch tries to find out the truth of the death of his father’s acquaintance following a potentially rigged dog race.

What I Liked

This is the best one yet in the series, although perhaps the historical features are not as pronounced in favour of telling a good tale. The storyline takes place for the most part outside of Toronto, and that also helps as it gives the story a unique atmosphere with lots of good local characters to investigate, all with their own dirty little secrets that clog up the investigation — cats and dogs, flirts and pervs. They’re all there. The social life of Murdoch heats up, although after two years of introspection, it comes with a bang, hardly reminiscent of the slow methodical progress before.

What I Didn’t Like

Very little bothered me in the story, although there is a confusing sub-plot about another crime and another investigator who is in the way of Murdoch’s investigation.

The Bottom Line

Best one yet in the series.

Poor Tom is Cold by Maureen Jennings (2001) – BR00043 (2004) – 🐸🐸⚪⚪⚪

The PolyBlog
October 28 2004

Plot or Premise

Constable Oliver Wicken is dead — the result of an apparent suicide while on duty. But Murdoch doesn’t buy it, so he starts to investigate only to find a woman who claims to have just jilted him, hence the suicide. He still isn’t satisfied, but with nothing else to go on, what can he do? Then another woman comes forward to say SHE was his girlfriend — a second one and neither had ever been mentioned to his mother with whom he lived!

What I Liked

I liked the investigation trail and the confusing leads. As well, a little more development on the social side for Murdoch is well-written.

What I Didn’t Like

The social side is a little too introspective, not enough activity, and the links to a sub-story are poorly done, hence the death is explained but not well-justified by the storyline. The treatment of some mentally unbalanced people is not particularly well done, and not just in terms of being politically incorrect.

The Bottom Line

A good initial premise, but poorly executed.

Under the Dragon’s Tail by Maureen Jennings (1998) – BR00042 (2004) – 🐸🐸🐸⚪⚪

The PolyBlog
October 28 2004

Plot or Premise

Murdoch gets to investigate the death of Dolly Merishaw, a drunkard, a midwife, and an abortionist. She lived with two boys whom she treated horribly, as well as a young woman who is also a little unbalanced. It doesn’t take much for Murdoch to realize there was blackmail involved, the question being of who?

What I Liked

Murdoch’s investigation is relatively straightforward, but the fun part is seeing him trying to figure out the morals of dating and ballroom dancing while he still grieves his fiancée’s death. He’s also training for a bicycle race. It’s a good introduction of some supporting characters too.

What I Didn’t Like

The view of the young woman being unbalanced is far too simplistic and poorly portrayed.

The Bottom Line

A good addition to the series but not the best.

Sanctuary by Jenny Carroll (2002) – BR00033 (2004) – 🐸⚪⚪⚪⚪

The PolyBlog
October 28 2004

Plot or Premise

Jess Mastriani got hit by lightning, and now she’s psychic. So she’s been calling in tips to the missing person line and telling the feds where to find the kids. The FBI wants her to do more, but she told them she lost the gift (which of course they don’t believe). And when a local kid shows up dead with strange militia markings on him, Jesse gets drawn into local militia groups and right-wing nuts in general, with the feds following along behind.

What I Liked

Not much — although it is good they still have Jess acting like a teenager.

What I Didn’t Like

While I prefer this characterization of Jess to the TV-series that has changed her into a kick-in-the-door, guns-blazing federal agent, this individual story is waaaay over the top. Like Hardy Boys meets the A-Team.

The Bottom Line

Way over the top.

Killing Floor by Lee Child (1997) – BR00036 (2004) – 🐸🐸🐸🐸⚪

The PolyBlog
October 5 2004

Plot or Premise

The plot is relatively confusing at the start. Jack Reacher is a drifter who gets picked up by the police in a small town as a suspected murderer. He knows he didn’t do it, so he is fairly cooperative with the lead detective. But when it starts to appear that some of the other people don’t particularly care if he did it, he is a little annoyed that their laziness is going to cost him a weekend in jail with someone else who confessed to the crime. Jack starts to draw on his past skills as an MP in the army to help out the investigation, and then it starts to get personal.

What I Liked

From the word go, Jack Reacher is a solid character. He comes with a lot of history and no baggage, which I understand is how the rest of the series unfolds as well. The characters read a little more stream-lined than perhaps a Robert B. Parker novel, without as much soul-searching, and the action keeps going.

What I Didn’t Like

There is a major “coincidence” in the novel, and I really hate novels that hang on coincidence as a major plot device to move the story along. Happenstance is one thing, such as Jack being in the town and subject to being suspected. But when it turns out that Jack knew one of the victims, in a town where he doesn’t know anyone, and there’s no reason for either of them to be there, it’s a bit of a stretch.

The Bottom Line

Great intro to a series.