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Bryant & May On The Loose: A Peculiar Crimes Unit Mystery (2009)

by Christopher Fowler(Favorite Author)

4.04 of 5 Votes: 2

ISBN

0553807196 (ISBN13: 9780553807196)

languge

English

genre

Mystery & Thriller

publisher

Bantam

series

Bryant & May

review 1: I was pleasantly surprised by this one - it's a well-written, quirky and interesting murder mystery book, and I could quite happily read more from the series - good thing, too, as I have the next two books here at home waiting to be read!This is actually number seven in the series, and the first one I've read. So I am not as attached to the characters as people who started fromt he beginning, and there are probably all kinds of back stories that went over my head. But I didn't have too much trouble getting into this, and enjoyed it, so I wouldn't say you have to start at the beginning with this series.Murders aside, it's actually really interesting if you want to experience London. And I don't mean in a big tourist-theme park way, like ticking off all the major sights in a... moren i-spy book (and I've never ever read a book that's employed that tactic, ho ho). This is about zooming right into an area and learning about the local history, the people, the buildings, and really feeling the constant change, the length of time, and that even what you're reading about now is just a step in the continuous story of the area. The author really knows his stuff and clearly loves the area. I don't really know that much about London, so I found this interesting, and almost want to dash back now to see everything through fresh eyes.This story is set in Kings Cross, and is about headless corpses that start turning up; a strange man dressed like a stag with kitchen knives for antlers, and big corporations, planning laws and regeneration of run down areas. Bryant and May are two older detectives, quite eccentric, especially Bryant it seems whose head is full of local history, randomness, the supernatural (he seems to hang out with witches) and all such things. They are part of the PCU - Peculiar Crimes Unit - in the London police force. This unit has just been disbanded at the start of the book (what a book to choose to start reading a series!) but because of the strange crimes that start happening, the team feel compelled to regroup and start investigating.
review 2: Given that this is the seventh book in the series it worked extremely well as a novel in its own right but then mysteries often do as they are generally self-contained stories. More than that though, just as the first six books in the series were written as a set so the next lot of novels (starting with this one) form a fresh set thus providing a good starting point for those who are new to the books but don't necessarily want to start reading the series from the beginning. What I'd describe as a cosy mystery as despite its headless corpses it seemed too genteel to be anything other. Bryant & May on The Loose saw the return of the PCU (Peculiar Crimes Unit). Original, quirky AND provides the three 'E's' - entertainment, escapism and (informal and fun) education - all of them necessary if a book is to be a good read. With a mythological figure, a mysterious stag-like creature, at its heart there was also a nod towards the supernatural.Great story telling but more than an intelligent and humorous plot there is the wonderfully curmudgeonly Bryant who has to be one of my favourite characters of 2013.Copyright: Tracy Terry @ Pen and Paper. less

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