The setting for the mystery is not in Saskatoon where Rusell has lived his adult life but in and around Howell where Russell grew up.
Russell’s family are an important part of the book. As set out in my last post Russell’s deeply loved mother, Kay, has dementia. She has confused him with his deceased father.
Russell goes into Howell to meet his mother’s good friend, CeeCee Toth, who has recently lost her husband, Clem. CeeCee is close to Kay who never condescended to her when she came from the Phillipines over 35 years ago to be the bride of the quiet Clem.
CeeCee is in distress. She confides in Russell that Clem was murdered but no one will believe her. The police consider his death to be a suicide.
CeeCee provides convincing electronic evidence contradicting the conclusion. I was glad to see a 70 plus rural Saskatchewan woman showing dexterity and skill with 21st Century electronic technology.
However, there is a complicating factor. Clem is suspected of being a vandal. CeeCee is convinced that her Clem would never commit a crime.
The police may have tunnel vision but Russell gets a tingle that “there’s something suspicious about this” and sets out to determine what happened.
Russell questions a high school classmate Stuart Symak who is a principal in LYFElines, a corporation which links “technology with social justice”. They developed an app for connecting restaurants, grocery stores and social services agencies to distribute unsold food.
Stuart was a secret crush of the teenage Russell. Some 35 years later Stuart remains a very handsome man.
Russell looks for a place for Kay. I smiled when one of the options was in Beautiful just outside Saskatoon.
The good folk of Howell and area are adamant that Clem was a good man who would not vandalize and then commit suicide. When Russell asks who might have vandalized they are less certain about Clem and do not want to think anyone they know could have done it.
Surnames I associate with Saskatchewan and Anthony populate the characters of the book.
I am proud that Russell made a road trip to Melfort to the real life Bluebird Inn. Regrettably it was not a productive meeting.
In the grand tradition of the first eight Russell Quant mysteries he leaves Canada to visit a distant locale. In Quant it is to visit the beautiful isle of Providenciales, better known as Provo, in the Turks & Caicos Islands. Sharon and I enjoyed a vist there 38 years ago. Anthony and his husband, Herb, know Provo well.
One of the reasons I love Russell is that he has a irreverant sense of humour, especially in times of peril. Chasing an intruder on foot in Provo while wearing flip-flops he jokes on whether the intruder is “some kind of James Bondian villain with a submarine awaiting him”.
I chuckled aloud when he found a spray painted threat the intruder had sprayed on Russell’s rental car - “Go Home Please”. I immediately thought the intruder must be a Canadian. I was wrong.
Anthony credibly ties a massive multi-national real estate development company into a plot about events in small town Saskatchewan. I was impressed.
As always, Russell is a persistent investigator though he could have benefited from consulting his friendly neighbourhood lawyer about land titles during his investigation.
Saskatchewan rural folk love to talk. We have relatively few neighbours with which to converse. However, rural tongues, just as with city folk, become stilled when questioned by a private investigator.
It is awkward at times for Russell to have to question people he has known through his life. I have had the same experience as a lawyer. I would prefer to question people with whom I do not have a personal relationship.
Anthony had me smiling my way through the book. Many fictional P.I’s could benefit from being less serious about themselves. Russell proves a P.I. can be bright, capable and self-deprecating. I thought of Nero Wolfe’s sidekick, Archie Goodwin.
Some of the earlier Quant books did not have a strong finish. Quant is different. Anthony gradually and relentlessly builds tension. The climax of Quant was not just perfect, it was very satisfying. I think it is the best ending in the whole series.
****
Hello Bill
Speaking of Provo, Herb and I are en route there today, but just wanted to drop you a quick thanks before you post the review. ‘Best ending in the whole series.’ Love it.
Wondered how many readers or reviewers would recognize references, some hidden, to pretty much every book I’ve written, so it gave me a smile to see the Beautiful mention.
Cheers!
Tony
****
** Bidulka, Anthony – Russell Quant series and Adam Saint series and Merry Bell series and standalones:
Interesting of 2004 – fiction and non-fiction); (2005) - Flight of Aquavit (2nd Best fiction in 2005); (2005) - Tapas on the Ramblas; (2006) - Stain of the Berry; (2008) - Sundowner Ubuntu; (2009) - Aloha, Candy Hearts; (2010) - Date with a Sheesha; (2012) - Dos Equis; (2026) - Quant (Family Picnics and Farewells) Paperback or Hardcover
Adam Saint books - (2013) - When the Saints Go
Merry Bell books - (2023) Livingsky and Merry Bell - Saskatchewan Transgender Sleuth and Exchange with Anthony Bidulka on Livingsky; (2024) From Sweetgrass Bridge and I Am Excited to Become a Fictional Character and Poetry in Football - Fictionally and Real Life and Anthony Bidulka at the Melfort Library; (2025) - Home Fires Burn and Reading to Sharon and Emails With Anthony on Home Fires Burn
Standalones - (2017) - Set Free; (2022) - Going to Beautiful and Stellar Book Launch for Going to Beautiful
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