Starred review from July 1, 2013
Bradshaw's latest mystery is set eight years after the Armistice of the First World War in Toronto. (Death in the Age of Steam was shortlisted for an Arthur Ellis Award for best first crime novel.) Detective Paul Shenstone, a veteran of the trenches in Flanders, is startled on his way to work by an explosion in the second storey of a hotel. An unidentified man lies dead at the scene; a mysterious woman lies there stunned but runs away before Shenstone can question her. So begins the detective's accidental foray into the world of international intrigue, Soviet spies, counterspies and rogue agents. Finding the mysterious woman pulls him into her race to reveal a dangerous secret that threatens her native Poland. Together, they must outrun and outwit the people and powers bent on silencing them. Strengthened by a strong cast of characters complete with bumbling fools, fascist sympathizers and communist agents, this book is a perfectly delightful and well-executed romp. (June) Canadian Distribution: UTP. U.S. Distribution: Ingram
June 1, 2013
Toronto cop Paul Shenstone witnesses a botched bombing attempt at a hotel, and he rescues the apparent target, the enigmatic Lucy. But Paul is baffled when Lucy escapes from the hospital, goes on the lam, and then slinks back to him in a cloak-and-dagger series of moves. After someone tries to kill both of them, Paul is less dubious about her wild story. Lucy is a Russian spy who has survived the 1917 Revolution and the fallout from World War I. Now she has critical information about a potential Russian and German collaboration and she's desperate to get it to someone trustworthy before the pending signing of Germany into the League of Nations. Paul thinks former fighter pilot Kip Whitehead might have the connections. Readers know Lucy's backstory from a flashback narrative that establishes her credibility and ups the suspense meter exponentially, culminating in a thrilling climax. VERDICT This excellent police thriller set in 1926 Canada is the second case (after Quarrel with the Foe) for Bradshaw's World War I vet. It's reminiscent of John Buchan's classic The Thirty-Nine Steps, with abundant espionage and historical detailing.
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