Archive for 'James, Dean'
Posted to Death by Dean James
ISBN 1-57566-885-8
Posted to Death is a both send-up and an homage to the traditional English cozy. Your first clues that James is having you on are the names of the people and places used – Lady Blitherington and Colonel Athelstan Clitheroe are just two of the characters who live in the quaint little town of Snupperton Mumsley. Your next clue is that our hero, Simon Kirby-Jones, is a gay vampire. Sounds fun, doesn’t it? But it is an homage to the cozy because James has included the requisite elements of a cozy and has written a good mystery instead of just a spoof.
Posted to Death is set in modern day, and vampires like Kirby-Jones are now able to walk secretly among us during the day due to the miracles of modern medicine. So Kirby-Jones is following his dream and has relocated from the U.S. to Snupperton Mumsley, where he is trying to become a member of the close-knit community. When the snoopy postmistress is murdered, our hero decides that, due to his more-than-human attributes, he is the logical choice to investigate the crime. Our hero proceeds to do what every amateur detective does – he snoops, he encourages gossip, he goes to dinners and teas to meet the locals, and he slowly gathers enough information about the locals to solve the crime.
He also swoons over the dishy vicar and tries not to smile so broadly that his fangs are visible. This book is interesting because it is intelligent, catty, campy, and fun, all at the same time. It is such a funny premise and I am interested to see where James takes it in the books that follow.
Favorite character? Kirby-Jones. Did I guess it? He got me! I followed a lovely red herring right up to the big unmasking before realizing I was on the wrong horse. It was beautiful. Will I read another? Yes.
Mystery Book Reviews by Liz at http://reviewedbyliz.com ©2007
Posted: February 14th, 2007 under James, Dean, Reviews by Author.
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