Death
Called To The Bar
A Lord Francisco Powerscourt Mystery, No 5
by David Dickinson
David Dickinson's fifth novel about Lord
Francis Powerscourt is a whodunit in the classic vein, set in the
arcane world of London's Inns of Court. As Powerscourt is present
at the christening of his new twins, a feast is being prepared for
in Queen's Inn, the smallest but most fashionable of the legal Inns.
At the feast itself, just as the borscht has been served, barrister
Alexander Dauntsey falls forward into his soup. When he is carried
discreetly out, it is soon discovered that he is not drunk, but dead.
A delicate mission like this needs the right light touch, so who better
than aristocratic sleuth Lord Francis Powerscourt?
There is less humor here and less of the extravaganza than in others
of the series, but then this time Dickinson is trying his hand at
the best-loved form of the whodunit, the classic as penned during
the golden age of crime writing. It has all the right ingredients,
including the esoteric world of the Inns of Court, an art gallery,
obscure wills, a dying doctor obsessed with poisons and a beautiful
lady lurking in a vast, dust-sheeted mansion. It would be impossible
perhaps for these delightful elements not to add up to an enjoyable
tale and they do, although there are parts where the story treads
water that could have stood some editing. The characters of Powerscourt
and his immediate family, not in themselves particularly interesting
people, are the more live wires in the story, and the character
of Johnny Fitzgerald with his new project is starting to be more
delightful. What would the series have been like with him in the
driving seat? To its detriment, the story ends rather abruptly and
not all the loose ends have been neatly tied, but it is still a
most compelling read.
Other
reviews in this series
Death &
The Jubilee,
No 2
Death of an Old Master, No 3
Death
on the Nevskii Prospekt, No 6
Death
on the Holy Mountain, No 7
Death of a Pilgrim, No 8
Death
of a Wine Merchant,
No
Death
of a Chancellor, No
Death
Called To The Bar, No
Death in a Scarlet Coat, No 10 [review
1] [review
2]
Death
at the Jesus Hospital, No 11
|
The Book |
Constable
& Robinson |
26
January 2006 |
Hardback |
1845291298 |
Historical
Crime [1902 London] |
More
at Amazon.com US
|| UK |
The Reviewer |
Rachel
A Hyde |
Reviewed
2006 |
|