2021 mystery, second in its series. Pentecost and Parker return to the
circus where Parker grew up, and the Tattooed Woman has just been
fatally stabbed. Something to do with the hometown she hadn't returned
to until now? Or a circus feud that boiled over? The local police
chief has fixed on Parker's mentor…
All right, I preferred the New York setting of the first book to
this small southern town, even if Spotswood does manage to raise the
characters out of stereotype. But while Spotswood's New York is just
as full of nastiness as his Stoppard, Virginia, some people in New
York at least manage to get some genuine pleasure out of their lives,
and nobody here is happy even when they're not tangled up in the
murder (and other criminal shenanigans that follow). Everyone is aware
that what lives they've managed to build for themselves can and will
be swept away in an instant. And that's just not a great deal of fun.
That said, and even if Parker does show continued poor personal
judgement (you're on a job, lady, and everyone is a suspect even if
they "couldn't possibly have done it") this is a solidly satisfying
story. There's one core mystery, but it spreads out tentacles in all
directions, while at the same time not involving all the oddities
the investigators encounter: plenty of people have reason to keep
secrets.
Rather a change in tone, but I'll certainly continue.
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