“I couldn’t really summon any enthusiasm for the idea that Kit’s disappearance had anything to do with his journalistic life. I was sure plenty of people disliked him, or were jealous – he was successful and he didn’t suffer fools gladly. Although who did? Were there fool sufferers who lined up, panicked there might not be enough fools to go around?” – A Murder of Magpies, by Judith Flanders
Happy October, everyone! If you like mystery, then A Murder of Magpies might be for you. The main character, Samantha Clair, works in publishing but becomes an amateur sleuth after one of her authors suddenly disappears. For the most part, the book follows the conventional lines of a whodunnit but Flanders incorporates a lot of elements that keeps her mystery feeling fresh rather than clichéd. Sam is a fiercely independent woman with a self-deprecating sense of humor. Her witty observations about her own actions and the actions of other characters give the story a tongue-in-cheek feel as Flanders pokes fun at the publishing industry, office politics, lawyers, mother/daughter relationships and just about anything else that crosses her path.
The mystery itself has a very contemporary feeling: a successful fashion journalist, Kit Lovell, disappears after preparing to publish a book connecting the suspicious death of a leading fashion designer to corruption and organized crime in the world of haute couture. In her attempt to find out what happened to Kit, Sam uncovers fraud, money laundering and has to consider that her friend has been murdered for uncovering the story. And at the same time, Sam has to figure how to tell her most successful author that the “blockbuster” she just handed in for editing is a complete dud. It is easy to get through this book quickly because the pace of the novel keeps you turning the page as Sam tries to simultaneous balance her full-time job as an editor with her newfound role as an amateur detective.
Two dimensional characters can be a pitfall of the mystery novels, but Flanders’ characters are well-developed and appealing. Sam’s mother is a very successful lawyer who is willing to help her daughter bend (ok, break) a few laws to help find Kit. Sam’s personal assistant is a goth millennial, her biggest rival at work is a pompous jerk named Ben. The officer assigned to the case is Jake Fields, who is by turns impressed and exasperated by the intelligence and tenacity of Sam and her mother as they mostly ignore his demands that they leave the detective work to the police. At every turn, the female characters in this book are clever, strong and resourceful. Sam goes toe-to-toe with high-powered attournies, the CEO of an international congolmerate and suspected criminals. If Inspector Field is looking for a damsal in distress to rescue, he won’t find her in this novel.
I won’t say much more because I don’t want to spoil it for anyone who wants to read A Murder of Magpies but as mysteries go, this one is bright and fun – equally as readable for its compelling characters and dry humour as for its complex mystery.
Are you reading a good mystery this fall? Drop me a comment and let me know! Until next week, happy reading!
Little Ms Word Smith 