by Jill Paterson
Publisher: Jill Henderson
Release Date: 14 October 2012
ASIN: B009QTC28E
Format: Kindle Book
Pages: 208
Genre: Mystery
Time to read: 4 hours
Source: Amazon (Free at the time) [20 October 2014]
aStore Link (Real Book): The Celtic Dagger
aStore Link (Kindle Book): The Celtic Dagger
Summary
(Goodreads)
University professor Alex Wearing is found murdered in his study by the Post Graduate Co-coordinator, Vera Trenbath, a nosey interfering busybody. Assigned to the case is Detective Chief Inspector Alistair Fitzjohn. Fitzjohn is a detective from the old guard, whose methodical, painstaking methods are viewed by some as archaic. His relentless pursuit for the killer zeros in on Alex’s brother, James, as a key suspect in his investigation.
Compelled to clear himself of suspicion, James starts his own investigation and finds himself immersed in a web of intrigue, ultimately uncovering long hidden secrets about his brother’s life that could easily be the very reasons he was murdered.
This gripping tale of murder and suspense winds its way through the university’s hallowed halls to emerge into the beautiful, yet unpredictable, Blue Mountain region where more challenges and obstacles await James in his quest to clear himself of suspicion and uncover the truth about his brother.
My Reaction
I started reading this book to pass the time on the treadmill in the wee early morning hours that I have available to go to the gym. Then there were freezing warnings and I started a second job so I really didn't have to time to get back to the gym or pick up where I left off. But it was easy to start from my last save-point to finish this story that had me guessing until the end.
When I downloaded the book from Amazon, it said it was the first in the Fitzjohn Mystery series (Fitzjohn being the detective with a mouthful of a title: Detective Chief Inspector), but I found it odd that for a series bearing his name he barely featured in it. While I was reading, Alex Wearing was clearly the main character. It wasn't until I began writing my review that I found the note on the author's website that this story began as a stand-alone, and only later did the interesting Fitzjohn become a serial character. Still, that point did not really distract me while reading.
There are two things I love within this tale: Australia and academia-related things, and Wearing as a professor in Sydney combined with his travels to several other names I've heard about but have never experienced were fun for me. I don't believe I've read anything taking place in Australia before, and because much of the story takes place between May and August, it was a bit mind-stretching to remember that the setting is winter for the characters.
I loved that the artefacts from the museum were key in the murder and investigation. The way Paterson weaved them all together with the storylines and relationships of each character made everything believable. My only real disappointments in the book were the several proofreading errors (including some liberal use of commas in places that made phrasing difficult in my head) which seem to plague many of these free ebooks I find on Amazon. Then there was a rather pivotal action scene that seemed written too quickly, though it also gave the feeling that one might feel in that situation when so much is going on that it passes by so fast you don't know what really happened. So I guess I'm a bit ambiguously disappointed there rather.
I think The Celtic Dagger probably classifies as a Cozy Mystery, but I also enjoyed the brief look into Australian syntax, culture, and bit of geography as well.
Reading Challenges: 2015 Authors A to Z Reading Challenge, 2015 eBook Reading Challenge
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