Unholy Dying
There are two authentic monsters in Barnard's latest outing for West Yorkshire cops Mike Oddie and Charlie Peace the murder victim and his actual killer. The trouble with this otherwise smooth story is that the dead man, a really nasty journalist named Cosmo Horrocks, is much more interesting than the murderer. "Build 'em up, smash 'em down" could be the motto of the seedy sex-and-crime chronicler, who loves to make everyone else's life miserable. Since this includes not only the people he writes about but also his family, his fellow journalists and virtually everyone he meets, the list of suspects when Cosmo gets his head bashed in is as long as a roll of toilet paper. Was it the subject of Cosmo's latest scandal-mongering a disgraced priest, Father Pardoe, booted out of his parish by a conniving bishop because of his attentions to an attractive, pregnant single mother? Was it Cosmo's own wife or daughter, each of whom has reasons to hate and fear him? And what about that young colleague on the West Yorkshire Chronicle who seems to have a sick fascination with Cosmo's methods? Unlike Agatha Christie on the Orient Express, Barnard can't have every single one of the suspects be guilty. So Oddie and Peace (who finds himself more personally involved than usual because of his own impending fatherhood) have to sift through a thicket of lies and evasions before nailing the killer. By then, Cosmo has been dead for more than 100 pages taking a lot of energy and interest with him. (Apr. 20)Forecast: Eight-time Edgar nominee Barnard, who has won Anthony, Agatha and Macavity awards, has a strong following, which might be enough to keep this relatively weak offering selling briskly.Copyright 2001 Cahners Business Information, Inc.