The Detective Duo is Back!

In my previous post, I had shared my thoughts on a new series I had started which pairs an Englishman with a Scot to solve highly unusual crimes.

To my utter delight, this detective duo birthed in the mind of author Oscar de Muriel is back in action with the second book in the series: A Fever of the Blood. I liked the first book 'Strings of Murder' so much that I had to start the next book immediately!

   

The second book adds a layer of complexity to the otherwise successful partnership between Frey and McGray. With an inmate of the lunatic asylum on the run after poisoning a nurse, the case is too close to home for McGray and this worries Frey who does not favor his involvement in pursuing the killer. The killer was last seen in conversation with a mute girl who hasn’t spoken in almost a decade and this shocking development affects McGray, strongly and personally. In the room of the killer are found traces of witchcraft. Soon, the duo find themselves in Lancashire, infamous for the witch trials of the 1600s, on the trail of a supposed mad man who is tracking women rumoured to be witches, with unmatched brilliance.

Lancaster Castle which also served as a prison. 
Image Source: Wikipedia

Obsessed with following the killer, McGray’s behaviour becomes increasingly erratic till Frey is left wondering whether he has been bewitched. Frey finds himself in the unenviable position of wondering how far and to what extent he can support McGray and where he should draw the line. For it seems that McGray is lost to all reason.

How can a lunatic be so cold and rational in his persecution of the women he thinks are witches? Why is he pursuing them? What has a centuries old witch trial and a curse which was to last 13 generations have to do with this case? Has McGray fallen under a spell? Will this case cost McGray his mind or maybe even his life?

Two books down the lane, the tenuous relationship between the Englishman and the Scot has firmed into a grudging respect for each other. While I did wish for Frey to leave aside all practicalities and follow McGray headlong into the witches’ lair at Cobden Hall on Pendle Hill, I could not help but see the sense in his holding himself back. Being a good friend is not about jumping to death together. Rather it takes more courage to withdraw support and try to dissuade a person from taking foolhardy decisions.

The supporting characters are all back in the second book, some of them in full force. Lady Glass and Caroline too have their story and it comes to the fore in Fever of the Blood. Dr. Clouston gains more of our respect as we see his struggle to be fair to his patients irrespective of their family backgrounds. 

Two Women accused of being Pendle Witches
Image Source: Wikipedia

I sneaked in an author interview, sometime between the two books, and happily know that with plans to have atleast nine books for Nine-Nails McGray the chances of this emotionally tortured and impulsive man taking his life anytime soon are quite remote. Whether he retains his sanity, though, remains to be seen. On the other hand, I do long for Frey to do something impulsive that would require thinking from the heart and not the mind. Though, maybe as Caroline Ardglass tells him you need to love someone beyond reason to be able to do so.

They approached me, ready to put their plan into action, and I howled: 'Wait a bloody second! Am I the only person in this room who believes murder and torture ought to be punished?'

Caroline looked at me with the most turbulent eyes. I had seen that expression before, and it made me feel an awkwardness that was disturbingly familiar.

'No,' she said, 'but you are the only person here who doesn't love someone.' 

Never in my life, had anybody's words wounded me so deeply, so swiftly.

In which case all I need to do is wait for him to fall truly, madly, deeply in love.

If you are in the mood for crime-fiction with a distinct edge, you will not go wrong in giving the McGrey and Frey series a try! 

The Devil and The Detectives

A new swoon-worthy detective duo is in town!

Awesome in solving crime and crazily adept at egging each other on with witty retorts, McGray and Frey, the delightful creations of Oscar de Muriel’s rich imagination keep the reader easily glued to their side as they race across locations trying to outsmart some fiendishly clever villains.

I have been wanting to start a new series or two this year and the McGray and Frey novels were already on my series wish-list. Pairing an Englishman with a Scot in the late 1800s, this exciting new series promises a rollicking time for whodunit aficionados.

The pretty and pernickety Frey, unwillingly and grudgingly, teams up with the unkempt and eccentric McGray to solve cases assigned to the ‘Commission for the Elucidation of Unsolved Cases Presumable Related to the Odd and Ghostly’. Warning: Do not be taken in by the silly name of their subdivision for their cases are anything but that. Frey did take it lightly and lived to regret the day. Their division's forte: solving mind-whirling crimes that expose human cruelty (or would inhuman cruelty be more apt?) and may or may not involve elements of the occult, black magic, witchcraft, and other paranormal phenomena.

The first book in the series, The Strings of Murder, introduces the detectives to each other and lays the foundation of a partnership that hints at growing stronger but also increasingly complex over time. Jilted by his fiancée and nearly out of a job, Frey is forced to move to Scotland in a last bid to get back into the good books of the London CID. He arrives in Edinburgh looking for ‘Nine-Nails’ McGray with whom he is not just required to partner but also stay with till alternative accommodation can be arranged.

'My name is Ian Frey. I am looking for Inspector Adolphus McGray.'
'Oh, Mr. Frey from London! O'course! We didnae expect ye so early, sir. I'm afraid Mr. McGray isn't at home now.'
'I suppose I can find him at City Chambers?'
The man shook his head. 'No, no, I'm afraid. Mr. McGray must be at the lunatic asylum as we speak.'
I lifted my eyebrows in surprise. 'Oh! Well, I really cannot say it surprises me. Do you know whether he is receiving proper care?'
Now I thank Heaven the butler's eyes were not daggers. 'Mr. McGray doesn't go as a patient! He's visiting someone.'

Soon, Frey and McGray find themselves knee-deep in a spine-chilling murder case where the killer is targeting violin virtuosos and tearing apart their guts, supposedly using them to make violin strings. At the heart of the gruesome killings is an old and infamous instrument, the Amati 1626, rumoured to be cursed because the Devil himself had used it to play his music.

Tartini's Dream in which the Devil played the violin. 
Image Source:Wikipedia.

Owned at various times in history by some of the most renowned music maestros, Paginni, Tartini, and finally Stradivari, it was on the Amati 1626 that the terrifyingly eerie ‘Devil’s Trill Sonata’ had been composed. 

One string quivered like the broken voice of a terrified soul, while the other provided a low, anguished accompaniment that brought to mind Mrs Caroli's desperate wails. Altogether, the strings produced unimaginable echoes and harmonics- had I not seen it with my naked eyes, I would have sworn we were listening to an entire string quartet brought from Hell.

The soft voice of an old woman came to my memory: 

'It was horrible music....like poking knives...fear itself must sound like that...'

And, all those killed had played this very violin.

Is the violin really cursed? Is a dangerously deranged human killer behind these gory deaths or has the Devil come to collect more souls? Will one of Frey’s dearest family members have to pay the price of this investigation?

With plenty of unexpected twists, amusing repartee, and quite a bit of interesting trivia on violins and music composers, the story relentlessly races towards a gripping finale which left me thoroughly satisfied but deeply saddened at the same time. More surprising and unbelievable than anything else is the cruelty humans often show against each other.

While Frey has his own charms, I have a slightly skewed preference for McGray. Maybe it’s his tragic past or his loud unapologetic and strong sense of self or his eccentricities that leave me with admiration for this hardiest of souls who has seen too much in his young life and yet survived to challenge fate.

Earliest Depiction of the Violin (1535)
Image Source: Wikipedia

Supporting characters such as the irascible Lady Ardglass (nicknamed Lady Glass due to her fondness for drinking) with her match-making attempts (Frey with her grand-daughter Caroline), the nice Dr. Clouston with his empathetic approach, and irreverent servants Joan and George with their crude conversations play an indispensable role in including a lighter vein to what would have otherwise been a deeply dark and disturbing novel.

Recommended to fans of brilliantly plotted detective novels that leave you itching to know what happens next; the McGray and Frey series has confidently established its place in the highly competitive world of crime fiction.

Voices Beyond the Veil

I did not discover Sumana Khan at my usual book browsing haunts. Not on Goodreads and neither on the book blogs I frequently visit.  Rather surprisingly, I came across her on the Pre-orders and New Releases page of an online shopping site. Considering I go there only in a state of ennui and with no expectations, I was lucky to have struck gold soon.

In retrospect, I am glad I was bored out of my mind on that fateful day and randomly searching for any book that seemed even remotely interesting. Otherwise, I may have only come across Khan's writing much later or maybe never. What a horrifying thought! Intrigued by the synopsis of her debut novel and in a mood to indulge my reincarnation fixation, I promptly bought ‘The Revenge of Kaivalya’ -  her foray into karmic intersections of human lives. And when I was done reading the novel, I had a new addition to my 'authors-to-watch-out-for' list.

I love that Sumana Khan’s stories expertly weave myth, mystery, esoteric beliefs, and everyday events into a rich tapestry of lives interconnected in ways that defy earthly explanation. What I love most though is the strong pull of her otherworldly themes and the seemingly effortless fluidity of her writing, both of which she uses extremely well to ensnare the readers and keep them turning pages relentlessly till they reach the end; exhausted yet exhilarated at having read another great story.

Khan’s debut novel is one of my favorite reincarnation-themed novels and also the reason why I picked up her new collection of short stories 'Encounters’. I usually stay away from the short story genre but I was confident that making an exception this time would serve me well. While all the five stories are engaging and display Khan's writing skills to an advantage, the first and last story of the collection win hands-down as the best of the lot. They exerted a haunting influence such that I was surprised to find myself thinking about them long after I had moved onto other novels.

The first story ‘First Love’ is a splendid concoction of fantasy, myth, folklore, and forensic science where a young girl’s obsession with a fantasy lover ends in an unexpected and unique togetherness.

Image Source: Wikipedia

The last story ‘Best Friends Forever’ is a very poignant portrayal of a little girl’s loneliness and longing to be with someone. Another impressive piece of writing is the second story ‘The Storyteller’ which centres on an aching plea of souls whose lives were cut tragically short and brings to fore the human need to be remembered by posterity.

Image Source:Wikipedia

In ‘First Love’, Khan not only succeeds in holding the reader’s interest with her fantasy-forensics mash-up but also through the very realistic portrayal of the socio-psychological ramifications of an inherently marriage-driven culture. Where the education, talent, and intelligence of a girl are often easily overlooked for the more desired accomplishment of raising a family: commonly perceived as the only worthy goal for any female. Similarly, it is not just the ghostly bonding in ‘Best Friends Forever’ that keeps us hooked to the story but also the dread and sadness that comes with realising an innocent life is about to be irreparably harmed by a selfish unhinged adult who is supposedly a protector. Such cases are plentiful in daily newspapers and this places the story a bit too close for comfort. There is also that tantalising sliver of forbidden love in this story that successfully arouses interest in the conclusion.

Overall, with 3 sure hits out of 5 stories, ‘Encounters’ is definitely recommended for evenings when you don’t want to invest time in a full-fledged novel and would rather relax with some gracefully written and vibrantly imaginative stories.

Sisters of the Snow

Who is S. K. Tremayne? Why haven’t I read more books by this author? Where has this author been all these reading years? Just a few pages into The Ice Twins and I was already asking myself these questions. I would have tried to find out more but I was absolutely unable to pry myself off reading. The questions would have to wait. Atleast till I completed this terrifyingly atmospheric book which had me in a pincer-like grip and refused to let go!

An addictively compelling novel that expertly walks the tight rope between supernatural suspense and psychological thriller, The Ice Twins will keep you reading late into the night cos’ once you get in, there is no getting out till it is all over.

The plot focuses on the bereaved Moorcrafts’, Angus and Sarah, who have recently lost a daughter. The identical ‘ice’ twins (nicknamed so because they were born on the coldest forstiest day of the year), Kirstie and Lydia, have never known a life without each other, from the time they were in their mother’s womb till 6 year old Lydia falls off to her death from the balcony of their grandparents’ home. Before long, Kirstie starts to behave strangely and insists she is Lydia.

'Why do you keep calling me Kirstie, Mummy? Kirstie is dead. It was Kirstie that died. I’m Lydia.'

It’s not just what Kirstie says that throws Sarah into confusion. Even the family dog Beany behaves with Kirstie as he would with Lydia. I could actually feel goosebumps as the creepiness factor gained ground with Kirstie’s eerie mannerisms and talk and then kept building up relentlessly.

Which twin died? Is it Kirstie who is alive or Lydia? Did the parents make a mistake in identifying the child who died? Or is this just a troubled twin’s way of keeping her sister alive in memory?

An already disintegrating marriage coupled with Kirstie’s strange conviction of being Lydia convince Angus and Sarah to move from London to Scotland. With Angus fired from his job due to excessive drinking, and Sarah randomly doing freelance work, there is nothing to hold them back from starting afresh. Angus has recently inherited his grandmother’s cottage on Eileen Torran, an inner Hebrides island, and going to live in this ethereally beautiful locale seems to the panacea for all their pain. But, life rarely turns out as planned. Isolated from everyone and all alone on this island with no other inhabitants, the problems aggravate for all three family members.

The held-by-a-thin-thread relationship between Angus and Sarah, married for over a decade, begins to unravel rapidly and their resentment, anger, and hatred for each other takes a deadly turn. Meanwhile Kirstie is teased mercilessly in her new school by the other children who call her Bogan (gaelic for ghost) and her obsession with Lydia takes a spectral form with whom she spends time talking and playing. Sarah is terrified by her daughter's behavior and also by what she is experiencing for it only adds weight to Kirstie's claims of Lydia's presence in their lives.

They are both here. They cannot both be here.

Why does Angus hate Sarah so much? Why is Sarah so distrustful of Angus? Is Lydia giving company to Kirstie even after dying? Is the island making it easier for one twin to be with the other?

‘The locals, they used to call Torran a thin place. That means a place where there are spirits-’ he chuckles into his glass- ‘real spirits, where the spirit world comes close.’

Isle of Skye- Image Source: Wikipedia

Or is all this confusion just a manifestation of the disturbed minds of Angus, Sarah, and Kirstie?

I could not warm up to either Angus or Sarah, inspite of their suffering, probably because I found their actions quite ridiculous and also highly damaging for a sensitive child. Who goes to settle in the middle of nowhere with no human company (even if the place is breathtakingly beautiful) when their child is extremely lonely and going through tremendous pain and guilt?! Awful parenting. Robs me of any respect I could have had for the marital issues they were facing be they as strong as infidelity, betrayal, and negligence. If only they had behaved more responsibly towards their only child.

I wanted to reach out to Kirstie and take her away from her pre-occupied parents, the desolate and stranded island, and the ramshackle cottage. I wanted to protect this emotionally fragile little girl from the cruelty of other children who shunned and bullied her.

The biggest strength of the novel is in its ability to hold the reader in continuous suspense about whether it is a psychological thriller or a supernatural one. Like a chameleon, the book changes colors rapidly taking a different hue with increased frequency as we progress in the story. Is it all in the mind or is Lydia really haunting her family?

The language brings to vivid life the otherworldly beauty of Eilean Torran or Thunder island and the descriptions of atmosphere, weather, scenery, and terrain are worthy of belonging in the best travel magazines. 

Sometimes I find myself standing, paintbrush in hand, bucket of white spirit by my feet, open-mouthed- and then I come to, and realize that I’ve spent twenty minutes in silence, watching the rays of sunlight spear the tawny mountains, goring the darkened rocks with gold; watching the white clouds drift languidly, over the snow-chafed hills.

Eileen Torran is a lightly fictionalized version of Eilean Sionnach, an island just off Isle Ornsay, in Skye. And here is some interesting trivia- the lighthouse on the island (figures prominently in the book) was built in 1857, by David Stevenson, an uncle to Robert Louis Stevenson.

Which brings me back to my search for the identity of this author. As soon as I finished the book I googled up everything about S. K. Tremayne. I was delighted to find out that this is just another nom de plume for Sean Thomas (real name) who also publishes as Tom Knox.  As Tom Knox, he writes archaeological thrillers which I have enjoyed tremendously to the extent that I have read each of those books. It comes as no surprise that he happens to be an award winning travel writer too! Only someone with exceptional talent in describing places could have done such a wonderful job with the Scottish islands where most of the book is set.

The Ice Twins has enough twists and turns to give you a queasy stomach as it takes you on a roller roaster ride and blurs your ability to distinguish between what’s real and what’s imagined. Highly recommended to all those who appreciate a taut well-written thriller which keeps them guessing and frantically turning pages till they finally find relief in the truth.

Series I Stalk

In an earlier post, I had shared my fondness for the Ruth Galloway novels. Some series have a permanent place on my bookshelf. I might even go so far as to say that I am obsessed with them.
I stalk every forthcoming entrant in these series, eagerly wait for the new book to be released, read every review about it, and buy it as soon as it becomes available. Why do I have this special regard for series?

Unlike a stand-alone which comes into my life once, for maybe a week or so (even though some of them do leave a lasting impression and are read again), a series has the charming quality of steadfastness that develops through its continuity and return. As I go forward in life, the series will progress to the next book and give me company, year after year. The characters in a series are the good friends who were once acquaintances but with getting to know their lives over the years, I now feel a certain kinship with them. 

We grow together, these characters and I, while facing our struggles, dealing with disappointments, solving our problems, and celebrating our joys. I have watched Ruth become a mother (Ruth Galloway series), Nelson’s wife Michelle’s troubled acceptance of his baby daughter Kate from Ruth; Cathbad’s emergence as a loyal friend to Ruth, responsible dad to Maddy, and loving uncle to Kate from his early days as a flaky druid. The characters evolve with each book, and so do I with each passing year of my life. At times, their tough but strong decisions lend me the courage to make some hard changes in my life. 

Lady Julia and Nicholas make me smile on sad days with their inquisitiveness, stubbornness, sense of humor, and love for each other (Lady Julia Grey series). The silly antics of Becky (Shopaholic series) propel me into unrestrained laughter as she mirrors many of my foibles (addictive shopping, impulsive actions, escapism, and more). When I need a good puzzle to challenge my brain, DI Wesley and Neil (Wesley Peterson series) always have a fascinating mystery linked to history that they are trying to crack. On days when only a gothic, dark, and atmospheric story will satisfy me, I look no further than Sharon Bolton (Lacey Flint series). Lacey’s complex character, harrowing background, and her attractive mix of vulnerability with raw courage is sure to hook anyone’s interest in all the books released, and those that are yet to come.

For long winter nights, when a scary story is very much the perfect accompaniment, Nell West and Michael Flint provide the perfect blend of ghosts, haunted houses, and a tragic past in the cases they try to solve. Add a dash of romance (Nell and Michael) and humor (Gilberforce’s antics) and I have a series I can’t help but follow. Yrsa Siggurdardottir (Thora Gudmundsdottir series) also fits the bill for a deeply arresting blend of creepy mystery, unique setting, romance, and humor.

So, here’s to series and may a book continue to be released each year in the ones I stalk. The series mentioned in this post are listed as follows:

·         Ruth Galloway Series

·         Lady Julia Series

·         Shopaholic Series

·         Wesley Peterson Series

·         Lacey Flint Series

·         Nell West/Michael Flint Series

·         Thora Gudmundsdottir Series

The ones that I look forward to following are:

·         Sebastian St. Cyr series (historical mysteries)

·         Merrily Watkins series (Diocesan Deliverance Consultant a.k.a exorcist solves crime)

·         Veronica Speedwell series (by the author of Lady Julia series, need I say more?)- Book 1 review.

·         Flavia de Luce series (precocious girl detective, murder mysteries)

·         Frey and McGray series (crime, mystery, horror, detective fiction)- Book 1 and 2 review.