Barbara Cleverly, Strange Images of Death (Soho Constable, 2010)
In their pile of galleys and advance reader copies at our favorite local independent bookseller, we found a sampler of upcoming releases from Soho Constable, the Soho Press imprint that specializes in mysteries. One entry in the sampler immediately caught my attention -- it was the first chapter from the latest in the Joe Sandilands series from Barbara Cleverly. I have read and reviewed all of the earlier titles in this series. I've also found the series to be one of the more consistently engaging and enjoyable that I've followed, so of course we requested a copy of the galley.
I'm happy to report that Strange Images of Death upholds the fine tradition to which I have become accustomed. It's another winner! The action takes place in the summer of 1926. Joe, our ruggedly good-looking Scotland Yard Commander and World War I veteran, is back in France (obviously a much more interesting setting than stodgy old London). He's escorting his "niece," fourteen-year old Dorcas Joliffe, to an artists' retreat in Provence, where she expects to rendezvous with her father Orlando while Joe travels on to enjoy some leave time on the Riviera.
Dorcas and Orlando made their first appearance in The Bee's Kiss, which does take place primarily in London. Orlando is one of those Bohemian artist types; Dorcas, his oldest daughter, has been living with Joe's sister Lydia in Surrey for the last couple of years. She's not really Joe's niece, but they introduce her as such to avoid any suggestion of impropriety (there are none; Joe definitely prefers women his own age).
When Joe and Dorcas arrive at the village of Silmont, where Orlando is in residence, they are surprised to find a real castle, complete with battlements, towers, a moat and a drawbridge. Orlando is quite happily ensconced in this place, along with his younger children and twenty-odd other artistic types, including an American photographer, a sexy artists' model, an Irish poet, two Russian ballet dancers, a woman who restores antiques, and a young man who is experimenting with painting on wet plaster. The lord of this estate and his steward, Guy de Pacy, are on hand to support the work of these individuals. In fact, the castle boasts a modern kitchen as well as a full staff of servants who try their best to keep the artists clean, well-fed and comfortable.
On his first night at Silmont, the residents tell Joe about an unfortunate event that has just taken place. Someone has completely destroyed the beautifully rendered statue of a resident of the castle from the middle ages, Alienore, the wife of Lord Hugues de Silmont, who fought in the Crusades. Somewhat reluctantly, Joe agrees to stay for a few days as a security measure until a representative of the local constabulary arrives to investigate the incident.
By the time the police arrive, the situation has become more complicated and dangerous. The sexy artists' model, who bore some resemblance to the departed Alienore, is found dead, murdered and left in the very location where the statue reclined, on top of a tomb, next to the remaining statue of the lord. An unexpected turn of events leads to the arrival of Commissionaire Francis Jacquemin of the Paris Police Judiciare in place of Inspector Audibert of the Marseille Police. Jacquemin's investigative methods are a bit heavy-handed (find a likely suspect, intimidate or torture him into making a confession regardless of the evidence, and close the case fast). Fearing that Jacquemin will arrest the wrong person, Joe stays on as translator and eventually a member of the investigative team, once Jacquemin figures out that Joe's rank of Commander gives him roughly equal authority. There are plenty of suspects to go around, and the resolution occurs in the very last pages of the novel, making for a nice feeling of suspense until then.
Cleverly has also added a sub-plot that further develops the backstory of Dorcas Joliffe. Early in the narrative, Joe agrees to help Dorcas locate her mother, who allegedly hailed from Provence. While he is gathering evidence for the Silmont case, he is also making inquiries about the missing woman. He is successful in his pursuit and somewhat surprised when both Dorcas and Orlando ask him to go no further. Cleverly provides a highly satisfactory resolution to this mystery as well.
Barbara Cleverly is one of several notable mystery authors whose earlier works were published by the late lamented Carroll & Graf. Only this title and Folly du Jour are on Soho Press. Some copies of the Carroll & Graf titles are still available on that imprint. I notice that a number of them are also available in trade paper editions on Delta.
