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2.5 AVERAGE
2.5 AVERAGE
adventurous
lighthearted
mysterious
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
N/A
The Death Miser is the 1st book in English thriller / mystery writer John Creasey's Department Z series. I've been checking out the many series by Creasey over the past few years; enjoying Superintendent Gideon of Scotland Yard, the Toff, Dr. Palfrey and the Baron, to name a few. Creasey was prolific, writing over 600 novels during his lifetime. Yup... quite a few.
I won't say that The Death Miser was perfect. It reminded me of many book series I enjoyed as a youngster... heck, even as an adult; Doc Savage, Fu Manchu, James Bond. It's kind of a combination of them all... without the super-heroish aspects of Doc Savage and the mystical aspects of Fu Manchu. It also reminded me of those serials you used to get when you were a kid, at the Saturday matinee, the 15 minute short, ongoing adventure that would precede the main feature. Each episode would end with a cliff hanger. Ah, the things I enjoyed as a youngster that kids of today never get to experience. 😎
Anyway, I digress. So, a certain James Quinion, who is mostly referred to throughout this story as the Honorable James, also works for a mysterious organization within the British government, called Department Z. It's run by Gordon Craigie. He's considered a ne'er-do-well by his uncle, Colonel Dann, as a shiftless, wealthy gadabout who smokes, drinks and chases after women with his rich buddies. But in reality he takes on dangerous missions for Department Z, described by Craigie as 'a home for bachelors with a suicidal turn of mind'.
While visiting with his Aunt Gloria and Uncle Dann in the country, he gets a message from Craigie to 'Watch Thomas Loder Cross Farm near Runsey report daily and give names of visitors." With the help of some of his buddies and a stranger from Canada, the Man named Smith, a strange adventure begins. Quinion will be forced to battle an international organization bent on destroying the world, lead by a mysterious individual named the Death Miser. He will also fall for a beautiful, mysterious girl who may or may not be part of the organization and work to save her from the Miser.
It's all very confusing as the group works to stay alive and also battle this group. They are all jolly and energetic and quite invincible, both in spirit and body, even though they do suffer many bumps and bruises. It's a fantastic adventure, not without flaws, a bit out there but all in good fun. Mindless, somewhat, but entertaining. I've ordered #2 just to see how the stories improve, or not. My next effort will be to introduce myself to Creasey's Inspector West series. Woo hoo! (2.5 stars)
I won't say that The Death Miser was perfect. It reminded me of many book series I enjoyed as a youngster... heck, even as an adult; Doc Savage, Fu Manchu, James Bond. It's kind of a combination of them all... without the super-heroish aspects of Doc Savage and the mystical aspects of Fu Manchu. It also reminded me of those serials you used to get when you were a kid, at the Saturday matinee, the 15 minute short, ongoing adventure that would precede the main feature. Each episode would end with a cliff hanger. Ah, the things I enjoyed as a youngster that kids of today never get to experience. 😎
Anyway, I digress. So, a certain James Quinion, who is mostly referred to throughout this story as the Honorable James, also works for a mysterious organization within the British government, called Department Z. It's run by Gordon Craigie. He's considered a ne'er-do-well by his uncle, Colonel Dann, as a shiftless, wealthy gadabout who smokes, drinks and chases after women with his rich buddies. But in reality he takes on dangerous missions for Department Z, described by Craigie as 'a home for bachelors with a suicidal turn of mind'.
While visiting with his Aunt Gloria and Uncle Dann in the country, he gets a message from Craigie to 'Watch Thomas Loder Cross Farm near Runsey report daily and give names of visitors." With the help of some of his buddies and a stranger from Canada, the Man named Smith, a strange adventure begins. Quinion will be forced to battle an international organization bent on destroying the world, lead by a mysterious individual named the Death Miser. He will also fall for a beautiful, mysterious girl who may or may not be part of the organization and work to save her from the Miser.
It's all very confusing as the group works to stay alive and also battle this group. They are all jolly and energetic and quite invincible, both in spirit and body, even though they do suffer many bumps and bruises. It's a fantastic adventure, not without flaws, a bit out there but all in good fun. Mindless, somewhat, but entertaining. I've ordered #2 just to see how the stories improve, or not. My next effort will be to introduce myself to Creasey's Inspector West series. Woo hoo! (2.5 stars)