A review by violetturtledove
Death by Duck by John Wilson

lighthearted medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? N/A
• Strong character development? No
• Loveable characters? No
• Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

0.5

Well maybe this will discourage me from buying books based on funny names or covers. There were a few amusing moments but in general it didn't seem to know what sort of story it was. The murder mystery itself only really bookends the travel/love story, and there's no real uncovering of clues, the main characters are ignorant right up to the end where everything is suddenly explained. 

I had to double check the publication date when reading this, as it's full of stereotypes and observations about Asia which probably wouldn't have surprised anyone in the 80s. It's not hateful, but there aren't really any well rounded characters. The dialogue is clunky and stuffed with exposition. 

The best bits were probably the day to day squabbles of university faculty, but I don't think it would have been enough to carry a book on its own. I believe this is one of a series, but I will not be looking up the others.