In this fourth book in the 'Ernest Cunningham' series, set in Australia, the amateur sleuth investigates the disappearance of a banker. The book works fine as a standalone.
*****
The premise of these clever mysteries by Benjamin Stevenson is that an author named Ernest Cunningham writes books about real murders he's helped to solve.
Cunningham prides himself on the fact that he adheres to the rules of 'Golden Age' mysteries, such as: nothing supernatural; no surprise identical twins; the killer must be important to the plot; no obvious truths must be concealed from the reader; and so on. Ernest sticks to the rules, but in a rather cunning fashion so it's tricky to suss out the clues.
*****
As the book opens, Ernest is trapped in a bank safe, running out of oxygen, documenting the heist that landed him there.
This is Ernest's narrative, starting that morning:
Ernest and his fiancée Juliette have an appointment at a privately owned bank in a town called Huxley - to apply for a business loan. Ernest wants to open a private detective agency, and he's been turned down by all the big banks, and even by a loan shark.
When Ernest and Juliette meet with the owner of Huxley's Bank, William Huxley, he offers to make a deal.
Winston's brother Edward Huxley, the bank's co-owner, has gone missing, and he's the only one who knows the new code to the vault. If Ernest can find Edward, he'll get his business loan.
While Ernest and Juliette are waiting for a teller to show them around the building, a gun-wielding bank robber comes into the bank, takes everyone in the lobby hostage, and demands to get money from the vault.
Since the vault is shut tight, and the new code is unknown, Ernest is tasked with searching for Edward and/or the code. Meanwhile, Juliette and the others are held hostage by the thief.
During this time, the police congregate outside the bank, and a hostage negotiator arrives, but the bank robber says he has no demands.
It becomes clear that the burglar has more on his mind than money, and soon enough, a murder is exposed. Ernest is constitutionally incapable of NOT investigating a homicide, and he goes to great lengths to uncover the killer.
Along the way, Ernest learns that every person in the bank is a thief with a secret, and Ernest works hard to expose them all.
The people in the bank, in addition to those mentioned above are:
● Felix, the bank guard, who generally just deals with unruly customers.
● Eric, the teenage gaming whiz. He's come to get a safe deposit box for his piggy bank.
● Remy Allard, the show business producer. He's come to make a large withdrawal from his account.
● Father Gabriel, the priest who's made a vow of silence. He's come to consult with the bank manager.
● Michelle, the receptionist who works at the bank's information desk.
● Cordelia Bright, the sick young woman with a portable medical device. She's come to get her crowdsourcing money.
● Laverna Bright, the sick young women's grandmother, who's also her caregiver.
The plot is convoluted, and armchair sleuths will find it challenging to unearth the clues, secrets, and sometimes even the crimes. As in the best golden age mysteries, Ernest assembles everyone at the book's climax, to expose the miscreant(s).
Accolades to author Ben Stevenson for this clever story. Recommended to fans of creative cozy mysteries.
I listened to the audiobook, narrated by Barton Welch, who does a fine job.
Thanks to Netgalley, Benjamin Stevenson, and HarperAudio/Mariner for an ARC of the book.
No comments:
Post a Comment