When Alex and Jody were newlyweds a decade or so ago they had bright plans for their future. Well-educated and deeply in love, the couple expected to have fulfilling jobs and fun-filled leisure activities. The birth of the couple's now eight-year-old son Sam - a high-functioning autistic child - changed their priorities and their lives.
Young Sam has trouble relating to the outside world, is only comfortable in sedate surroundings with no noise or commotion, and - when frustrated - acts out by screaming, making threats, and breaking and throwing things.
Jody
felt obligated to give up her professional ambitions so she could be an
at-home mom to Sam, and Alex took a job as a mortgage consultant to
provide for the family.
Over the years Alex drew away from Jody and Sam, immersing himself in his job and his own dark thoughts. Alex still broods about his brother George, who was accidently killed when they were children. The boys were carousing at the time, and Alex continues to feel guilty and profoundly sad.
The distance between Alex and his family has now reached the breaking point, and Alex is 'estranged' - living with his friend Dan while he and Jody contemplate their future. Alex helps with Sam's care on occasion, taking him to the playground and a neighborhood café, where Sam drinks frothy milk. Alex is on tenterhooks the entire time, fearing something will upset Sam and trigger an episode of screaming and tantrums.
When Alex is asked to pick up Sam from school one day he sees a boy hit his son. Alex subsequently confronts the teacher about bullying, and is told that Sam provokes the other children. This teacher seems particularly clueless to me, but - not being in his shoes - I don't want to judge. In any event, I think this highlights a problem autistic children have in mainstream classrooms, where their behavior is misunderstood and/or other children take advantage of them. In any case, the bullying leads to the search for a new school, which Sam mightily resists.
Alex becomes increasingly concerned about not connecting with Sam - and forlorn about his crumbling marriage - when a minor miracle occurs. Sam starts to play 'Minecraft' on his X-Box, and becomes intensely interested in the game.
In case you're not familiar, Minecraft is: "A virtual land where users can create their own worlds and experiences, using building blocks, resources discovered on the site and their own creativity. Players can build and explore however they want. They can recreate an existing fantasy world or build a new one from scratch, they can fight villains and seek adventure, and they can play alone or with friends." Moreover, it can be played at any level, from simple to complex.
When Dan observes his son's fixation on Minecraft, he buys a book about the game and learns to play. And voila, father and son are soon playing the virtual game together. As the story continues, Minecraft forges a bond between Alex and Sam and helps the boy relate to other children. It also gives Sam tools to function better in the real world.
As Sam is learning to navigate in the game AND the outside environment, Alex and Jody are dealing with their own personal issues, including things like employment; dating; mental health; etc....all of which could impact their future.
Characters that add interest to the story include Alex's mother and sister; Alex's work colleagues; Jody and Alex's friends who have four children; young Sam's new playmates; and more.
I found the story engaging, and was glad that Alex realized his son is a capable talented child with a rich inner life - and not just a child with problems to be dealt with.
In an interview, the book's author Keith Stuart - who's the Guardian's games editor - notes that he was asked to write this book after he'd written some journalism about his son Zac, who's on the autism spectrum. Stuart had written that Minecraft was a really helpful influence in Zac's life, and the publisher asked him to write a fiction book about the subject. In part, Stuart wanted to tell other parents with autistic children that they're not alone; that sometimes other people don't understand, which is difficult; that people all over the world share their concerns; and that they shouldn't despair.
Keith Stuart
I'd recommend the book to readers who are interested in autism as well as people who like a good story.
Rating: 3.5 stars
Rachel Jenner, her 8-year-old son Ben, and their dog Skittles are in a Bristol, England park when Ben asks if he can run ahead to the rope swing. Rachel, wanting Ben to feel confident and independent, says okay. So Ben and Skittles dart off.....and disappear.
A massive search by police and civilians finds an injured Skittles and Ben's clothes, but not the boy - and the cops conclude that Ben's been snatched. And Rachel's (and her ex-husband John's) nightmare begins.
Detective Inspector Jim Clemo is assigned to lead the investigation, which pleases him. He hopes that finding Ben and catching the perpetrator will give him a boost in the police department.
Jim's even confident enough to suggest that his (secret) girlfriend, Detective Constable Emma Zhang be assigned as Family Liaison Officer (FLO).
Told in retrospect, the story is narrated by Rachel and Jim, in alternating sections. There are also excerpts from e-mails, books, a blog, and newspapers as well as reports from Jim's police-appointed psychologist.
In child abduction cases the parents are always suspects, and Rachel and John are questioned. Moreover, Rachel continues to be (surreptitiously) scrutinized by the FLO. Other possible persons of interest include other family members, neighbors, people in the park that day, employees at Ben's school, shop owners who knew the boy, and so on. Or a stranger may have nabbed the child. So the police have their work cut out for them.
As often happens in kidnapping cases Rachel and John are asked to participate in a press conference, to appeal for the child's return. Detective Clemo provides Rachel with a carefully worded script, meant to help the abductor give Ben back. Things go seriously wrong, however, and Rachel - disheveled and wild-looking - ends up pointing at the camera and threatening the abductor.
Apparently this is a huge mistake. Clemo is upbraided by his superior for not prepping Rachel properly, and Rachel becomes the prime suspect in the eyes of the public. Thus she's hounded by the press, a nasty blogger, vandals, and the general public. Even worse, the blogger has inside information about the investigation. Uh-oh....there's a leak.....
As the investigation proceeds a family secret is revealed, a local pervert is pursued, a 'medieval re-enactor' who was in the park won't cooperate, people lie, alibis turn out to be false...and the investigation drags on and on.
By the time the case is resolved Rachel's life has changed dramatically and Detective Clemo - who feels he should have done better - suffers from anxiety and insomnia.
I liked the book. It's a suspenseful page-turner and I was eager to see how things played out. On the down side, the plot has too many kidnap/mystery story clichés and one of the 'big reveals' is not believable. I also don't accept that Rachel's behavior at the press conference would make her seem guilty (she's a scared, hysterical mother after all). I feel like the author tried too hard to include sensational elements in the story, and they ring a false note.
Overall, an enjoyable mystery book, recommended to fans of the genre.
In this 24th book in the 'Miss Seeton' series - set in 1970s England - the genteel, grey-haired 'detective' helps the police solve several crimes, including murder. The original author of this humorous mystery series was Heron Carvic, and after his death other writers carried on. This story was penned by Hamilton Crane.
The books can be read as standalones with no problem.
*****
Some gossipy women in the town of Plummergen look askance upon Miss Emily Seeton, an elderly art teacher who retired to their community.
For one thing, Miss Seeton (aka MissEss) is very cozy with Scotland Yard, which has her on retainer as a sketch artist. For another thing, Miss Seeton is likely to hobnob with 'suspicious characters' - like the handsome American tourist she politely invites for tea and cake.
If the Plummergen rumormongers knew the whole truth they would REALLY be goggle-eyed. The fact is that MissEss - unknown to herself - is a psychic whose 'foolish scribbles' (as she calls them) help the authorities identify wrongdoers and their crimes. And right now, Kent County - the coastal area that contains Plummergen - is being plagued by a crime wave that involves several police forces.
- Scotland Yard (with the help of Customs and Excise) is looking into the beheading of a poacher who may have stumbled onto a smuggling ring.
- Superintendent Brinton and Detective Constable Foxon of the Ashford Police Department are dealing with metal thefts. All manner of metallic objects have gone missing from Ashford, including fences, gates, drains, benches, rails, manhole covers, pipes, signposts, etc. A missing signpost has already resulted in a serious car crash, and the cops are anxious to catch the miscreants.
- Chief Inspector Harry Furneaux has to deal with metal theft AND a bank heist in Ecclesham. A gang of thieves hatched a scheme - involving the strategic blocking of streets - to rob an Ecclesham bank, make a quick getaway, and elude the authorities.
- Constable Ned Potter of Plummergen is concerned with the theft of ornamental scarecrows, being put up to attract tourists.
When concern about the spate of crimes reaches the breaking point, Scotland Yard's Detective Chief Superintendent Delphick and his assistant Detective Sergeant Bob Ranger visit MissEss to request some sketches, which the artist thinks are 'Identikit' drawings. The pictures turn out to be very telling.....though it takes some time to interpret them.
Miss Seeton does more than draw pretty pictures, however. She runs into a criminal herself - and being a sweet innocent lady - completely misinterprets his intentions. MissEss mistakes the thug for a birdwatcher, and their conversation - which is completely at cross purposes - is hilarious.
The story has a gaggle of entertaining characters, including:
- Mrs. Flax who doesn't believe that Plummergen's vermillion skies are caused by fierce Saharan winds. Mrs. Flax asserts: "Tent natural, such happenings....and from an evil cause all too clear to them with deep knowledge such as mine.....atom bombs!"
- Bram Smith - an American descendant of the historic English smuggler Abraham Voller, who escaped from a local prison and headed overseas.
- Superintendent Brinton, whose wife has prescribed a 'no sugar' diet that he desperately tries to circumvent.
- DC Foxon, who favors flamboyant clothes....like a rich brown jumbo-cord jacket or a blackberry-colored velvet jacket with lapels that reach almost to his shoulders.
- Catherine Earnshaw - a famous retired actress, recently arrived in Plummergen, whose good-looking 'chauffeur' raises eyebrows around the village.
- Martin Jessyp, the school principal, who organizes a children's concert to raise funds.....and ropes Miss Seeton in to do the scenery.
- Dulcie Rose - a toddler who's entranced with the 'Roller bird' that blew to Plummergen from Africa. Dulcie Rose likes Miss Seeton to draw 'pickshers' of the 'big blue birdie' for her.
Much of the fun of the book lies in the conversations among the characters, who reference all manner of British history, stories, myths, folktales, literature, people, poems, songs, and so on. I found some of this bewildering.....and sometimes even the characters don't seem to comprehend each other.....so it's all good.
I enjoyed this comical book and recommend it to readers who like zany mysteries, especially fans of Miss Seeton.
Thanks to Netgalley, the author (Hamilton Crane), and the publisher (Farrago) for a copy of the book.
Rating: 3.5 stars
