Read May 2024
Recommended for fans of Wodehousian mysteries
★ ★ ★
Anty Boisjoly is at it again. A pair of eccentric uncles had duel, and with no survivors, the estate is in shambles. Can he help a fellow clubman out? It only takes a few minutes of questioning before he realizes that two shots were heard, making the coroner's verdict of duel death by misadventure a somewhat disturbing declaration (apparently, the alliteration is contagious).
"'Did he go suddenly?' Having exhausted the humanitarian angle, I pursued the only avenue remaining between gentlemen and made small-talk of tragedy.
'Oh, I suppose, as these things go,' said Lager, studying the rich, red and mahogany Juniper salon through his whisky glass. 'Looks as though the bullet penetrated his heart, so I expect he had little time for reflection.'"
For those non-sommelier amongst us, a 'Bois Joly' is a type of wine and one of those little details that is supposed to cue you in that the author is going to be having some fun. This is book three in the series, and feels a bit more uneven than book one or eight, my previous incursions in to the Anty world. The language is very stylized, a bit of a side-eye toward the gentlemen's life of leisure: clubs, drinking, and a leisurely attitude towards work:
"'You don't know the Brickstock family brokerage? It's one of the richest in the City.'
'Have they any holdings in hospitality or horse racing?' I asked.
'No, of course not.'
'Then I'm unlikely to have heard of them,' I confessed. 'I maintain a very focused portfolio.'"
It's enjoyable, certainly, but something about it feels more forced, working hard to strike that balance between the commentary of the social absurdity and the complicated detecting. This one has an antagonistic housecleaner and an equally aggressive Scotts Terrier appearing during the investigation, providing ongoing hilarity with their reactions. There were a few too many characters for me to keep straight without a great deal of differentiation between a number of old, eccentric men and a number of young, lackadaisical ones. The mystery of the duel quickly expands to some adjacent mysteries and it becomes a bit much to keep track of. There's a missing tontine, another death, another near miss, and overall, a high level of confusion.
Still, I thought it a fun diversion and not at all a waste of time, so I'll be looking for more in the series, particularly the later ones.
"'Then how did they both come to be found dead behind a securely barricaded door?'
'Can't help thinking it's something to do with smoke,' I said. 'And possibly mirrors. This is the mystery aspect of the locked-room mystery, Inspector.'"
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