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A review by brents
The Queen of Bedlam by Robert R. McCammon
5.0
I read book 1 of Robert McCammon's Matthew Corbett mystery series, Speaks The Nightbird, last month and it was a fantastic book and start to a series. When I picked up the sequel, Queen of Bedlam, this month I had expected it to be good but this exceeded expectations.
First of all I just have to say McCammon's writing is just magnificent. When I read a mystery novel I don't really expect the prose to catch my attention, but with McCammon you get the well plotted mystery AND the wonderful turns of phrase. It's really the icing on the cake that elevates these books in my opinion. That being said, if you're a reader that doesn't care about that there is still so much here to enjoy. In Nightbird McCammon laid the foundation for the Corbett character, but it could have easily been a standalone book while also laying a foundation. In Queen he builds on that foundation and sets in motion events that can have a lasting impact on the series. I won't spoil what he chooses to do with the characters, but I felt it gave Matthew more agency and really intrigued me to see what is coming next.
Even if this book sets up the rest of the series well the best part is that on its own its just a fantastic piece of mystery writing. The book starts in early 18th century New York with descriptions of the setting that make you feel like you're there. What follows is a series of murders that wraps up our protagonist and kicks off a plot that goes well beyond just what appears to be happening on the surface. The mystery in this one really hooked me, and the sign of any good mystery is if it has you invested enough to try to put the pieces together along with the protagonist and this certainly did. What I really appreciated though is something Michael Connelly also does in his more recent books. Corbett isn't just solving the murders. There are multiple (or possibly not) interconnected cases here that McCammon deftly weaves throughout the narrative. It serves to keep things fresh.
Where McCammon really shines though is that this just isn't a plot focused book or series. All of the characters are fleshed out and have distinct personalities, including a new favorite who is introduced in this book. That's hard to do when a series is told through a single POV.
This series is an absolute hidden gem and I am very much looking forward to reading the rest of the books.
First of all I just have to say McCammon's writing is just magnificent. When I read a mystery novel I don't really expect the prose to catch my attention, but with McCammon you get the well plotted mystery AND the wonderful turns of phrase. It's really the icing on the cake that elevates these books in my opinion. That being said, if you're a reader that doesn't care about that there is still so much here to enjoy. In Nightbird McCammon laid the foundation for the Corbett character, but it could have easily been a standalone book while also laying a foundation. In Queen he builds on that foundation and sets in motion events that can have a lasting impact on the series. I won't spoil what he chooses to do with the characters, but I felt it gave Matthew more agency and really intrigued me to see what is coming next.
Even if this book sets up the rest of the series well the best part is that on its own its just a fantastic piece of mystery writing. The book starts in early 18th century New York with descriptions of the setting that make you feel like you're there. What follows is a series of murders that wraps up our protagonist and kicks off a plot that goes well beyond just what appears to be happening on the surface. The mystery in this one really hooked me, and the sign of any good mystery is if it has you invested enough to try to put the pieces together along with the protagonist and this certainly did. What I really appreciated though is something Michael Connelly also does in his more recent books. Corbett isn't just solving the murders. There are multiple (or possibly not) interconnected cases here that McCammon deftly weaves throughout the narrative. It serves to keep things fresh.
Where McCammon really shines though is that this just isn't a plot focused book or series. All of the characters are fleshed out and have distinct personalities, including a new favorite who is introduced in this book. That's hard to do when a series is told through a single POV.
This series is an absolute hidden gem and I am very much looking forward to reading the rest of the books.