RARA-AVIS: Recommendation: "Dead Letters" Sean McGrady
Peter Walker (pw@pw.cablenet.co.uk)
Sun, 22 Nov 1998 13:11:40 +0000
I've just finished "Dead Letters" by Sean McGrady and feel
compelled
to tell you all how good it is. Looks like this is a first
novel by
our Sean but I've not been able to find out anything about him
here.
The book introduces Lt. Eamon Wearie, an FBI trained US Postal
Inspector, and thus this gives a new take on the 'cop'
theme'.
He works out of Depot 349 (does this exist?) in Baltimore - a
truely
massive wrehouse and home to the many and various 'Dead ltters'
of
the title --- although this can include antything from
unpublished
manuscrips (millions of them in the 'Unpublished Novelists Hall
of
Fame' ----- enough to break the heart of ant aspiring writers!)
to 8
Mercedes Benz cars.
Incidently did you know that mail in the US is about 525
million
pieces a day? And of these about 200,000 go 'missing' a day -
imagine
that pricless first edition on its way to you in the
post....
Anyway, the books plot is about a photo of a murderes and
abused
youth found in the post nad the attempts to find the murderer
--- a
good take on the 'serial killer' theme. Wearie and his partner
'Bunko' are a good duo and there is a good mix of humour,
tension and
gruesome stuff which, along with an excellent writing style,
means
the book zips along. There are plenty of twists and turns and a
fair
few surprises and the words "off beat" come to mind.
There is also plenty of character stuff - serious drinking,
failed
relationships, one night stands etc - to establish a good basis
for
a series which is implied on the cover.
Also the minor characters are believable and
well written which always make for an interesting read.
Well recommended and I think it is only availiable in the
US.
Pub Pocket Books 1992 ISDN 0671742671.
Peter
----------------------------------------------------
Crimetime. The best magazine of its kind.
Issue 2.2 out now: Oct 98
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