The Edwin Drood Murders
Cozy Mystery
Published by Harrison Thurman Books (September 24, 2013)
2nd in Series
Trade Paperback: 304 pages
ISBN-13: 978-0985323639
E-Book File Size: 3150 KB
ASIN: B00FE1TLUU
The Droodists have arrived in Dickens Junction. Local bookstore owner Simon Alastair has his hands full in his role as co-chair for the latest convention honoring Charles Dickens’s uncompleted novel, The Mystery of Edwin Drood. A movie star, a pesky blogger, dueling scholars, a stage hypnotist, and an old family friend (among others) all have claims on Simon’s time. In addition, some Droodists are clearly more–or less–than they appear, including a mysterious young man with the improbable name of Edwin Drood.
When a priceless ring and a rare Dickensian artifact go missing, Simon and reporter-partner Zach Benjamin learn that someone will do anything–including murder–to obtain an object of desire.
Dollycas’s Thoughts
This is a very hard review for me. I love Dicken’s popular works like A Christmas Carol, Tale of Two Cities, and Oliver Twists, etc. but I knew absolutely nothing about unfinished Edwin Drood Mystery or that supplying a conclusion to The Mystery of Edwin Drood has occupied writers from the time of Dickens’s death to the present day. I started reading and felt like I was a real dummy. I didn’t know all the things that the author’s characters were citing like they were common knowledge. I had several literature classes all through school and college. How could I not know about this?
Then I decided I had never really studied Dickens I just read what I enjoyed or was assigned for school. I had to decide to learn from what I reading and just follow the mystery. But it was hard because the mystery was based on events in this unfinished novel. I continually felt like I was reading in circles and getting nowhere.
As in the first book of this series The Christmas Carol Murders which I reviewed last year, our amateur sleuth, Simon Alastair, finds a clue that causes the light bulb above the head moment. He then, with the authorities permission, gathers all the suspects in a room and explains the mystery and uncovers the murderer. I was grateful for this because I had missed many clues.
The mystery was good but I just kept loosing myself in the Drood details which took away the pleasure of the story. I enjoyed Simon and Zach back story very much and how their relationship continues to grow. The author has created some very unique characters, like a blogger, Daniel Quill and Simon’s friend Osma Dilber, a very petite woman and the owner of a very special ring.
Because most of this story takes place in a hotel the charm of Dickens Junction was missing. One excursion with a trip to the cemetery was just not enough for me.
Since it looks like the next book in the series is based on the more than 700 page, Our Mutual Friend, another Dickens novel I haven’t read, I probably will not be reading Lord’s next Dicken’s Junction Mystery.
About The Author
Christoper Lord was born in Astoria, Oregon. He now lives in Portland with his partner of twenty years and their Devon Rex, Miss Corey, the inspiration for Simon’s Miss Tox. He is hard at work on future books in the Dickens Junction mystery series. Check out his webpage here.
Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from the publisher. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. Receiving a complimentary copy in no way reflected my review of this book. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255 : “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”
I’m not big on Dickens either so I may look for the first one and forget the rest. Thanks for the review.
It’s no fun reading a book where all the characters talk about things you don’t understand. Yikes. How did you finish? If I’m not loving a book after a chapter or two, I move on to another book. There are so many fun things to try.
Authors should go on the assumption that we don’t know about what they are referring to and clarify. Sounds like this was a frustrating read. Sounds like this is for die-hard Dickens fans.
Ann
I had never heard of this Dickens book until I saw this book at another blog. Based on your comments I think I will pass on this on.
I just posted my review and had very similar feelings to yours. I really enjoyed the first one that featured The Christmas Carol.
It was a hard read, but I try really hard to finish but I hate writing this kind of review. Stay tuned Tuesday’s review is for another book that left me shaking my head.