The best part is the part with the cat
On 270 of I don't know what for editing. It goes. Slowly, it goes (although today it rather sped because once I realized how to fix the gap left by pulling out about three pages in the middle of a scene, things went smoothly and I still like Ray and Erik's conversation outside on the campus bench, even if it does mark one of Erik's lowest points in the text - it's got some really good imagery, and Ray is the bestworst giver of advice). I seem to have a cold. Have a picture of Ivan that I think is rather perfectly Ivan.
Then, have a review of a book which actually featured some gay sex. I understand people like that. Me, I was just happy that Russell was finally getting laid.
Tapas on the Ramblas by Anthony Bidulka
The latest big case for Saskatoon cop turned private dick, Russell Quant, comes to him when a mousy young woman comes into his office to present him with a perplexing and tantalizing case on behalf of her grandmother, even though said grandmother lives several provinces away. Why an old woman in British Columbia has specifically asked for Russell's services becomes even more confusing when the young woman, Flora, reveals that her grandmother is the hugely wealthy Charity Wiser, president of a huge Canadian meatpacking company. The wealthy Charity is convinced that someone in her large family has recently tried to kill her and she wants Russell to find out who and to make it "easier" for him, as well as more dramatic, she's arranged for all of her relatives to gather together on a luxury cruise for her 80th birthday party. Russell, and a guest of his choice, will also be there.
The cruise? For gay couples. Because not only is the old, wickedly dramatic Charity a lesbian, but she lives to make her relatives jump through hoops of discomfort in the faint hope that they'll be blessed with a larger portion of her massive fortune. The more Russell digs, the more it seems like the question isn't 'Who would want to kill Charity Wiser' but 'Who /wouldn't/?'
Tapas on the Ramblas is the most enjoyable of Bidulka's novels so far. Since the 'victim' isn't dead, it gives Russell a character to play off who's invested in the mystery from an important but rather different position. It helps that Charity is a wonderful bitch to watch in action, gleefully evil and almost as repulsive as some of her relatives, grandly orchestrating her life to be as entertaining and dramatic as possible. Bidulka's previous novels didn't have a terribly dynamic supporting cast, and Russell's clients tended towards nervous/closeted/grieving, so Charity, who was a real, active presence before Russell even met her, was a great relief.
The mystery itself is well-constructed; not that the previous novels had sloppy mysteries, but everything seems to come together better than the previous ones. The setup leads to a number of red herrings, all of which are believable and will have the reader trying to choose the most likely suspect, and the final reveal is surprising while being believable and not coming out of nowhere.
Behind the mystery is some more stuff with Russell's personal life. It doesn't really fit with the rest of the novel, but it's also not out of nowhere dramatic. The friend Russell chooses to bring is Erral, the lawyer who works in his building, and the ex-lover of Russell's (ex) best friend, and there's a subplot about both dealing with the sudden loss of Kelly after her decision to leave Saskatoon and cut all ties between this and the previous novel. It's not heavy-handed dramaticness, which is nice, and I'm finding it interesting how Bidulka seems to have the more dramatic personal stuff happening between the books and dealing with the fallout in-book, which keeps attention focussed on the mystery.
Really, the only problem with Tapas on the Ramblas (aside from the fact that I find Bidulka's pop culture drops a bit cumbersome) is that only the first chapter and the very end of the last chapter take place in Saskatoon. I understand that Bidulka likes travel, and I admit that the cruise ship setting was pretty cool and worked well with creating a confined environment for Russell to do his investigating in, but dammit, I read books about a private detective in Saskatchewan to read about a private detective /in/ Saskatchewan, dammit!
... But other than that, which may just be my personal little quibble, Tapas on the Ramblas is definitely a fun, fast read in the mystery department, and it doesn't take the easy route, either for character development or for resolving the mystery. I can only hope this is a sign that Bidulka's later novels can only keep improving, and I can continue to enjoy the combination of prairie and gay lit.
I have now earned the right to a shower and lunch.
Then, have a review of a book which actually featured some gay sex. I understand people like that. Me, I was just happy that Russell was finally getting laid.
Tapas on the Ramblas by Anthony Bidulka
The latest big case for Saskatoon cop turned private dick, Russell Quant, comes to him when a mousy young woman comes into his office to present him with a perplexing and tantalizing case on behalf of her grandmother, even though said grandmother lives several provinces away. Why an old woman in British Columbia has specifically asked for Russell's services becomes even more confusing when the young woman, Flora, reveals that her grandmother is the hugely wealthy Charity Wiser, president of a huge Canadian meatpacking company. The wealthy Charity is convinced that someone in her large family has recently tried to kill her and she wants Russell to find out who and to make it "easier" for him, as well as more dramatic, she's arranged for all of her relatives to gather together on a luxury cruise for her 80th birthday party. Russell, and a guest of his choice, will also be there.
The cruise? For gay couples. Because not only is the old, wickedly dramatic Charity a lesbian, but she lives to make her relatives jump through hoops of discomfort in the faint hope that they'll be blessed with a larger portion of her massive fortune. The more Russell digs, the more it seems like the question isn't 'Who would want to kill Charity Wiser' but 'Who /wouldn't/?'
Tapas on the Ramblas is the most enjoyable of Bidulka's novels so far. Since the 'victim' isn't dead, it gives Russell a character to play off who's invested in the mystery from an important but rather different position. It helps that Charity is a wonderful bitch to watch in action, gleefully evil and almost as repulsive as some of her relatives, grandly orchestrating her life to be as entertaining and dramatic as possible. Bidulka's previous novels didn't have a terribly dynamic supporting cast, and Russell's clients tended towards nervous/closeted/grieving, so Charity, who was a real, active presence before Russell even met her, was a great relief.
The mystery itself is well-constructed; not that the previous novels had sloppy mysteries, but everything seems to come together better than the previous ones. The setup leads to a number of red herrings, all of which are believable and will have the reader trying to choose the most likely suspect, and the final reveal is surprising while being believable and not coming out of nowhere.
Behind the mystery is some more stuff with Russell's personal life. It doesn't really fit with the rest of the novel, but it's also not out of nowhere dramatic. The friend Russell chooses to bring is Erral, the lawyer who works in his building, and the ex-lover of Russell's (ex) best friend, and there's a subplot about both dealing with the sudden loss of Kelly after her decision to leave Saskatoon and cut all ties between this and the previous novel. It's not heavy-handed dramaticness, which is nice, and I'm finding it interesting how Bidulka seems to have the more dramatic personal stuff happening between the books and dealing with the fallout in-book, which keeps attention focussed on the mystery.
Really, the only problem with Tapas on the Ramblas (aside from the fact that I find Bidulka's pop culture drops a bit cumbersome) is that only the first chapter and the very end of the last chapter take place in Saskatoon. I understand that Bidulka likes travel, and I admit that the cruise ship setting was pretty cool and worked well with creating a confined environment for Russell to do his investigating in, but dammit, I read books about a private detective in Saskatchewan to read about a private detective /in/ Saskatchewan, dammit!
... But other than that, which may just be my personal little quibble, Tapas on the Ramblas is definitely a fun, fast read in the mystery department, and it doesn't take the easy route, either for character development or for resolving the mystery. I can only hope this is a sign that Bidulka's later novels can only keep improving, and I can continue to enjoy the combination of prairie and gay lit.
I have now earned the right to a shower and lunch.