Sunday, February 02, 2014

Eric Wright. Death of a Hired Man (2001)

     Eric Wright. Death of a Hired Man (2001) The second Mel Pickett story. He’s now married to Charlotte (Wright’s time lines are wonky, they don’t match Buried in Stone, the first Pickett story), and they spend time in both Toronto and Larch River.
     A man who rented Pickett’s cabin for a nominal sum is found murdered. Pickett is convinced he himself was the intended victim. A strait-laced couple connected to the victim provides plausible red herrings, and a string of robberies divert the investigation. Pickett wants to ensure his property goes to his “granddaughter”, and proposes to adopt her father, his supposed son, who wants to meet him. Mel and Charlotte are still working out their relationship, a process nicely observed by Wright. All in all, a well done novel, engaging enough that I wish Wright had written more Mel Pickett stories. I’m still looking for the last Charlie Salter book. Wright’s books would make very nice TV series. *** (2010)

No comments:

Four ordinary people: Quartet in Atumn (Barbara Pym)

Barbara Pym. Quartet in Autumn (1977) Pym seems to be a nice lady who tells stories of nice and not so nice people of little consequence. T...