1983 cosy American detective fiction; fourth of MacLeod's novels of
Professor Peter Shandy, set at an agricultural college in
Massachussetts. Retired professor Herbert Ungley wouldn't want to be
caught dead without his toupee, but that's just what's happened.
I've had this sitting part-finished for over a year; it just
didn't grab me. Earlier entries in this series have done a good job of
having interesting minor characters, sometimes at the expense of plot;
this one swings the other way, and spends so much time on setting up
suspicions and not giving clues about the suspects that it doesn't
develop them as distinctive people.
At the same time the plot isn't anything much; there are a few people
with motives, but it's fairly clear where blame should fall. Shandy
makes detailed accusations seemingly out of nowhere, speculating
rather beyond what few facts we've been given, and is always right. In
retrospect, the villainous actions don't even make any sense in terms
of what the villain wanted to achieve.
Maybe if I'd read this one faster, or sooner after the previous
Shandy, I'd have enjoyed it more; I think one has to go with the flow
and accept the outward trappings of a detective story without poking
too deeply, and instead wallowing in the people, particularly the
series regulars. Ottermole the police chief gets a particularly good
showing here.
Followed by The Curse of the Giant Hogweed.
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