"Frost Line" Justin Scott
Pkb. 5.99 ISDN 0006510043.
Bill Bryson was telling us something about small town America
at the
start of "The Lost Continent" when he wrote "I come from Des
Moines.
Somebody had to". Justin Scott, in placing his Ben Abbott
P.I. series
in the fictional Newbury, is also telling us something about
small
town America, it's just that I'm not sure what.
It's a sweet place, like Bedford Falls in "It's A Wonderful
Life". Our
hero, for example, is introduced to us rescuing a cat up a
tree. It's
friendly in that "I've known you for five generations" kind
of way and
the town folk are, well, town folk. The place is something a
patch
work quilt. It's no surprise that the somewhat conventional
murder
mystery plot fits together in neat little pieces as well.
Wrong doing
is delt with, order is restored, the good guys are good and
the bad
guy's don't belong.
But even Bedford Falls contained a darker version of itself.
Recently
I reviewed "Dead Letters" by Sean McGrady. He portrayed a
depressed
small town America as a nightmare place where F.B.I. agents
were
forever turning up looking for serial killers. Newbury failed
to
convince. It is like a Hollywood image, representing an
America that
never really existed
In fairness though, I must add that this is a series PI and I
guess if
you are already hooked you'll love it. The writing is very
good
although people tell me Scott has done better work. If you're
not
moved to rush out and buy it on my say so then, just to
be
neighbourly, I direct you to comments from Lawrence Block
that this
"...is the best book in a series that started strong and
keeps getting
better" and Jeffery Deaver about the "brilliant - sometimes
humorous,
sometimes heart wrenching - insights into small town New
England
life". No slouches Block and Deaver. Therefore, if you feel
so
inclined, please take no notice of me whatsoever.
....so there you go. I wasn't too impressed either.....
Peter
----------------------------------------------------
Crimetime. The best magazine of its kind.
Issue 2.2 out now: Oct 98
http://www.crimetime.demon.co.uk
ct@crimetime.demon.co.uk
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