Death of a Cozy Writer
8. G. M. Malliet, Death of a Cozy Writer
Sir Adrian Beauclerk-Fisk, the extremely wealthy author of a popular mystery series, is a malicious old man who enjoys nothing more than torturing his family. He changes his will so frequently that his children never know whether they will receive a fortune or nothing when he dies. The Beauclerk-Fisks have never been particularly close to each other, but a shocking announcement that their father is planning to remarry brings them all running to the ancestral home. Although the atmosphere is immediately tense, no one expects that a murder will soon occur - and that the victim will not be Sir Adrian.
I picked up this book at a library sale, primarily because the cover blurb led me to believe that it was a sort of send-up of the cozy mystery genre. As a huge Agatha Christie fan, I thought reading a parody might be fun - especially since Sir Adrian’s sleuth bears more than a passing resemblance to Miss Marple. So I was disappointed that there isn’t very much humor in the book, especially after the first few chapters. Otherwise, this is a fairly competent mystery in the English-country-house tradition, but nothing about it is particularly original. Also, this book is the first in a planned series starring Detective Chief Inspector St. Just, but his characterization is so slight that I don’t care whether I learn any more about him. While this was an okay read, I doubt I’ll be continuing with the series.