A Crack in the Lens

“A Crack in the Lens” is Steve Hockensmith’s latest entry in his humorous Sherlock Holmes wannabes ” Holmes on the Range” mystery series.  If you haven’t read this series yet, I recommend starting with the debut story “Holmes on the Range” – which is the funniest.

This series is set in the late 1800′s and features brothers “Big Red” and “Old Red” Amlingmeyer, two itinerant cowboys-turned-detectives who “deducify” their way to solving crimes using the methods of their beloved literary mentor, Sherlock Holmes.  The brothers unintentionally mimic Holmes (analytical and antisocial “Old Red”) and Watson (quick-witted and literate “Big Red).

It’s a good series if you’re in the mood for a humorous mystery with plenty of interesting characters, but not a good choice if you’re looking for a complex mystery of the Sherlock Holmes caliber.

Series titles include:

1) Holmes on the Range (2007)

2) On the Wrong Track (2008)

3) The Black Dove (2009)

4) A Crack in the Lens (2009)

The Case of the Missing Servant: A Vish Puri Mystery

Vish Puri, proprietor of Delhi’s Most Private Investigators Ltd, is the premier detective and most esteemed investigator on all of India – at least in his own mind.

Puri (known as “Boss” to his employees and “Chubby to his friends and family) actually spends most of his time investigating potential marriage partners for the children of worried parents.  Things heat up for Puri when he is hired to investigate the murder of a servant girl.

Tarquin Hall’s debut book in this series has charm in its cohort of quirky characters – self-satisfied and confident Puri, his ingenious and dogged staff (Face cream, Tubelight, Handbrake, DoorStop … you get the idea)  and his meddeling ‘Mummy”.  The Delhi setting and liberal use of native words adds interest.

The plot lacks complexity and the mystery is easy to solve, but it is still an enjoyable read and a good start to a series that promises to grow on readers as the characters develop.

Recommended for readers who enjoy character-driven mysteries such as the #1 Ladies Detective Agency (although not in the same league as this great series) and Detective Kubu series.

All Iowa Reads — The Rope Walk

The All Iowa Reads selection for 2009 was “The Rope Walk” by Carrie Brown.

“The Rope Walk” is billed as a “coming of age story”, which usually makes me cringe (something terrible seems to always happen in “coming-of-age” stories).   But it’s really more of a gentle narrative about a remarkable year in the life of a 10-year-old girl whose world is expanded through two unlikely friendships.

The friendship includes Alice, the sheltered daughter of a college dean, Theo, an adventurous and resourceful boy whose family seems to have forgotten he exists, and Kenneth, a famous artist dying of an HIV/AIDS-related illness.  It’s not as grim as it sounds and is liberally sprinkled with bits of humor and endearing characters.  Members of my library book club commented that it made them feel nostalgic for their childhood.

All Iowa Reads is sponsored by the Iowa Center for the Book and the program’s goal is to choose a book that Iowans will read together and discuss.

Previous selections:

• 2008.  Digging to America by Anne Tyler

• 2007.  Splendid Solution:  Jonas Salk and the Conquest of Polio by Jeffrey Kluger
• 2006. Gilead by Marilynne Robinson
• 2005. The Master Butchers Singing Club by Louise Erdrich
• 2004. Niagara Falls All Over Again by Elizabeth McCracken
• 2003. Peace Like a River by Leif Enger

For more information on All Iowa Reads, see http://www.iowacenterforthebook.org/air