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A review by andrewspink
The Mystery of Rutherford Abbey by Stephen Taylor
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.0
This book is an unusual mixture of genres, namely sci-fi and detective. I have come across detectives solving mysteries on far-flung planets or spaceships, but this is the first time I have read a detective where an essential element is a witness time travelling. It is hard to say much more without spoilers, but I must admit that for me, the combination didn't really work. I love sci-fi and can happily suspend disbelief for all sorts of travels through time and spaces, but the combination with a very traditional detective complete with police investigation, socio-pathological criminal and time-pressured investigation, and I was struggling.
The detective story itself was enjoyable; the plot was well-developed, and the author did a good job of building the suspense.
The book was easy to read, although there was some strange use of language. No serious academic is going to refer to their technical colleague as 'boffins'. The translation of the Latin manuscript is 90% in modern English, but with the odd archaic word thrown in ('quoth'). It is a translation, why is that word used? It makes no sense. (I see now in the end notes that the writer is aware of this. But that didn't stop it grating when I read it).
A rather minor point; crocuses are not native to Britain, they would not have been around at spring time in the 12th century. And a bit of a strange thing. Several characters are mentioned as chewing the inside of their cheek when they are nervous. How odd. I don't know anyone who does that.
In summary, a solid detective story, but the time-travelling element didn't work for me.
The book was kindly provided by the publisher in exchange for an honest review using the NetGalley platform.
The detective story itself was enjoyable; the plot was well-developed, and the author did a good job of building the suspense.
The book was easy to read, although there was some strange use of language. No serious academic is going to refer to their technical colleague as 'boffins'. The translation of the Latin manuscript is 90% in modern English, but with the odd archaic word thrown in ('quoth'). It is a translation, why is that word used? It makes no sense. (I see now in the end notes that the writer is aware of this. But that didn't stop it grating when I read it).
A rather minor point; crocuses are not native to Britain, they would not have been around at spring time in the 12th century. And a bit of a strange thing. Several characters are mentioned as chewing the inside of their cheek when they are nervous. How odd. I don't know anyone who does that.
In summary, a solid detective story, but the time-travelling element didn't work for me.
The book was kindly provided by the publisher in exchange for an honest review using the NetGalley platform.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Rape