In Big Trouble

After listening to NPR's Crime in the City Series I decided to check out a Tess Monaghan story, written by Laura Lippman. I picked In Big Troublearbitrarily, not realizing that this is one story that does not take place in Balitmore, even though the Monaghan series is usually set in "Charm City". It didn't matter though, San Antonio was a great location and the same type of attention that Lippman probably gives to Baltimore in her other books was lavished on Texas with great affect. The mystery itself was good, especially the way a 20-year-old unsolved murder case was woven into the plot. I almost felt the murders were true, so well was the plot line developed.

Tess was also a great protagonist; honestly I wasn't sure how a woman my age could possibly fit my vision of a hard-boiled detective, but Lippman successfully did just that, giving Tess just the right amount of humility, warmth, longing, and cyniscm.

The only criticism I have of this book is that in the end the story's conclusion was a little too neatly wrapped up, with seemingly incidental characters playing major roles. I felt that either they should have been developed more so that the reader could have a chance to factor them into the mystery or that the final answers should have involved some unknown players; everyone just seemed to fit too well into the storyline, if that makes sense.

I can't wait to review more of Lippman's books on Crime Beat Street!

A Loyal Character Dancer

I was really looking forward to the second installment in the Inspector Chen series but was quite disappointed in this book. Detective Yu, a primary character in the first novel, barely made an appearance in this one, instead too much time is devoted to the character Detective Rohn, an American working for the U.S. Marshall's office. Frankly she just isn't that interesting, she seems like a caricature of an American woman, blond, pretty, not all that smart save for an occasional comment here and there, and worst of all close minded. I didn't really get into the "what could have been" romantic suggestion the author made about her and Chen, she was too condescending towards the Chinese, I didn't think Chen, despite his own struggles within the political system, would really find her appealing.

I also felt Qiu Xiaolong relied too heavily on plot devices he used in Death of Red Heroine, which were fabulous the first time but formulaic here. It seemed like Inspector Chen doesn't really work at all, he just ponders things until he makes a connection. That is part of detective work, but not the whole bit. Also, Chen's wrap up at the end of the novel was dull, I wanted to read about the things he discovered as he was discovering them, not later in summary. How is the reader supposed to feel like part of the story otherwise?

Despite all these criticisms there were some great moments in the book, and I hope I never have to drink snake's blood to show my gratitude to anyone!