The summer of 2003 and was a very good time for mystery lovers because that was when Christopher Fowler, previously known for his horror tales, unleashed the first edition of his Bryant and May series,
Full Dark House. The writing flows logically, at a fast pace and is mostly deliciously laid out. Much of the prose falls gracefully off one's silent tongue although a few bits of dialogue, particularly that of a key character who shows up late in the game, has a bit of a hollow ring. There's terrific wry humour and the interaction of the two principles absolutely spot on.
Arthur Bryant and John May are semi-retired detectives whose living legendary status has allowed them to continue working into their 80s. In the opening pages, Arthur Bryant is working late into the night at the Peculiar Crimes Unit office when a massive explosion rips through the second floor. As John May tries to piece together clues, he comes to believe the serial killer they tracked down in their very first case, as barely 20-somethings in Blitz plagued 1940 London has returned ... which is a very nice device to set most of the tale in the past. The main setting is London's Palace Theatre as a woebegone cast attempt to launch a racy version of Offenbach's operetta
Orpheus in the Underworld; and this allows for the introduction of a wonderful set of eccentric characters, international financial intrigue, and everyday coping in the midst of daily bombings. But could the killer in their first case be responsible for Arthur's demise?
Fowler has just announced on his blog that the series will reach ten parts in 2011 or 2012; I have tossed a couple more already onto my TBR pile.
Available as tasty bargains at
Amazon and
Kobo for under $6.