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If folk recognise the author's name, they will know this is not an urban fantasy or indeed, any kind of fantasy. McBain's thing is police procedurals and there's a long list of them in this book. This is one of five books featuring Matthew Hope, an attorney, written in 1985.
It is the story of his investigation into the case of Sarah Whittaker, a young woman committed involuntarily to a mental institution because, she says, her mother wants the money left to her by her father. Is she telling the truth? Is anyone telling the truth? By halfway through one's head is spinning as much as that of Hope, trying to decipher and interpret the information. The reader knows as much as Hope knows but the kernel of truth is very hard to crack. It kept me going right to the end as to whether Sarah was loopy and just how she might be loopy.
The detail as to police investigations is precise - this is the first such book I've seen where the actual forms, such as the application for guardianship of the supposed incompetent, submited to the Florida Probate Court, are reproduced on the page. It's not like Agatha Christie where you never get enough information to really accompany her investigator. I'm not so sure of McBain's expertise as regards the particular form of insanity from which Sarah suffers, but even that is skilfully handled. And there is so much paper, since this book predates the electronic world to a large degree, although computerised records are mentioned. No mobile phones, computers are a thing for businesses, not homes.
Even McBain's writing style reads as though he was producing a report for court. Every character is introduced with hair and eye colour, clothing, general demeanour and Matthew Hope's guess as to weight. Women get detailed comments as to chest measurements, which last probably wouldn't be included in a court report, but you never know. There's a scene where a police officer reflects that this is the "first time he'd run a lineup predicated on the size of a girl's brassiere." So no, not a particularly enlightened tone in this book.
It was interesting enough to keep me reading to the end but not to worry about reading any more of the author's books at the moment. My local library happens to be heavy on crime literature so quite often that's what I end up with when I go there. Probably three stars.
It is the story of his investigation into the case of Sarah Whittaker, a young woman committed involuntarily to a mental institution because, she says, her mother wants the money left to her by her father. Is she telling the truth? Is anyone telling the truth? By halfway through one's head is spinning as much as that of Hope, trying to decipher and interpret the information. The reader knows as much as Hope knows but the kernel of truth is very hard to crack. It kept me going right to the end as to whether Sarah was loopy and just how she might be loopy.
The detail as to police investigations is precise - this is the first such book I've seen where the actual forms, such as the application for guardianship of the supposed incompetent, submited to the Florida Probate Court, are reproduced on the page. It's not like Agatha Christie where you never get enough information to really accompany her investigator. I'm not so sure of McBain's expertise as regards the particular form of insanity from which Sarah suffers, but even that is skilfully handled. And there is so much paper, since this book predates the electronic world to a large degree, although computerised records are mentioned. No mobile phones, computers are a thing for businesses, not homes.
Even McBain's writing style reads as though he was producing a report for court. Every character is introduced with hair and eye colour, clothing, general demeanour and Matthew Hope's guess as to weight. Women get detailed comments as to chest measurements, which last probably wouldn't be included in a court report, but you never know. There's a scene where a police officer reflects that this is the "first time he'd run a lineup predicated on the size of a girl's brassiere." So no, not a particularly enlightened tone in this book.
It was interesting enough to keep me reading to the end but not to worry about reading any more of the author's books at the moment. My local library happens to be heavy on crime literature so quite often that's what I end up with when I go there. Probably three stars.