A serial killer is on the loose in London, recreating famous sculptures using the sometimes restructured bodies of his victims.
A disturbingly original, if slightly absurd, premise is followed by a chain of near misses and strange coincidences that make it difficult for me to suspend my disbelief. And there is very little mystery about whodunnit. But the novel is more than rescued by a trio of wonderfully ridiculous policemen, creating an almost Keystone Cops flavour about the pursuit. I adored Detective Winter, who gets drunk and eats fast food.
Selected quotes
- "And so, the old man returned home to find Death slumbering in his chair, having come for him at last. But, thought the old man, is Death not merely another foe? A foe both weary and alone?" (Prologue; first lines)
- "'To be fair, the physique is a little different to yours,' Winter interjected, evidently still a little tipsy. 'You're a bit softer around the ... everything'." (Ch 5)
- "Winter removed his notebook and took a seat on the floor beside him, gazing up at the stained coffee tiles: 'How did anyone manage to spill coffee up there?' he asked. 'Boss threw it at someone he didn't like'. 'Who?' 'Me'." (Ch 9)
- "'It regards Henry's ... sexual orientation''Rita looked blank-er. 'What? Like which way up he did it?'" (Ch 17)
- "The Wet Dog would have been a more apt name for the dank little establishment on the banks of the canal, the musk originating from damp shoes, complemented by stale beer and the resident Doberman by the fireplace." (Ch 17)
- "People are shallow, simple creatures, and beauty no more than a tool to exploit that fundamental flaw - to fit in with a specific group, to project a deceptive impression of oneself, to attract a viable mate." (Ch 24)
Absurd and not in the least realistic ... but frequently hilarious and three of the most original detectives I think I have ever read. March 2022; 346 pages
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