Not so long ago, crime novels set in distant periods were something of a novelty -- but now that the genre is bulging with entries, readers have learned to be just as discriminating as they are in other crime fiction fields -- novelty is no longer enough. And that's why writers such as David Wishart are a boon -- his historical crime fiction is always adroitly written. Detractors (if there were any) might say there are no quantum leaps in achievement from book to book, but the sheer reliability pays dividends in Wishart's books.
Take In At the Death, for instance. This latest Marcus Corvinus mystery has all the hallmarks of Wishart's best work.
Ancient Rome. A young man from a good family has, apparently committed suicide. Marcus Corvinus is called in to provide an explanation for the death, and soon uncovers a murder plot. It transpires that the killing has a political element, and while Marcus is struggling with this, things are further completed by his unwilling role as nursemaid to a Gallic boarhound called (with perfect irony) Placida.
This is delightful stuff, with all the requisite historical detail set against the sardonic humour that has long been one of Wishart's specialities. In At the Death is both one for long-time Wishart admirers, and for those deciding to sample his work. --Barry Forshaw.
Wishart books in general (Rating 2 of 5)
» D. Lee
My Daddy used to say that people who constantly swear show their lack of intelligence. David Wishart proves his point. Substandard mystery, unsympathetic characters, stilted dialog, and an unromantic romance make this a boring read. However, I loved the dog. All in all, John Maddox Roberts, Saylor, Davis,and Rowe are infinately preferable
Great Charaacters, mystery so-so (Rating 3 of 5)
» Terry Weiss
I'm a mystery buff, not necessarily historical mysteries, although those folks who really know the period make them worth the read - particularly the authors who specialize in ancient Rome. I also appreciate a little humor and an effort to break the unrelenting misery that (in real life) was the lot of most people. I like Lindsey Davis, John Maddox Roberts, Steven Saylor (when he isn't being too serious,) and have become fond of David Wishart. All know the period and the information is accurate - which matters to me. His books haven't been available in the U.S. until recently, so I've purchased most of the ones I've read from England.
Unlike a previous reviewer, I like having the people talk in modern syntax in books set in historical times. Frankly, we have no clue how people spoke to each other outside of literature - and until the 20th century, literary language and spoken language were not the same thing. On a daily basis, people spoke to each other pretty much the way we do - given language differences and phrasing, and so forth. Writing the spoken word as if it were translated straight from ancient Latin would be tedious at best!
The hardest part about Wishart books is keeping track of the characters - the names are so different from ours and there are so many characters that I find myself referring to the list of characters frequently. I like his use of characters and descriptions of people in terms that show that folks were folks and politicians were politicians and greedy grubbers were greedy grubbers, no matter how many centuries separate us. This is Wishart's strength and I appreciate it.
The one thing I've noticed is that I normally don't need to reread Wishart's books. For a good mystery, this is unusual for me - I own all of Lindsey Davis and John Maddox Roberts for example. However, I would definitley recommend reading his books - they are enjoyable.
I've bought a number of them from England, and paid the (gasp) high exchange and postage - so did think it was worthwhile
A Fun Read (Rating 4 of 5)
» hrhm7
An entertaining ancient Rome mystery. One of Wishart's better ones. The characters are humorous, the plot had twists, and the story goes by quickly. Once you get used to the main character's use of slang and curses, it's fun
NOT up to the Davis Standard! (Rating 1 of 5)
» A reader
Here's another Lindsey Davis wannabee of a mystery novel, set in ancient Rome, this one about a suspicious suicide that turns out to have been a murder. The detective who's the main character uses the word "Yeah" far too much, and throws "f-ck" around with abandon, both of which make him sound more like a Londoner or a New York detective of the 20th century than anybody in the 1st century AD. The author tries for Lindsey Davis's droll humor, but doesn't succeed. The side story of the huge, hairy, smelly, ill-behaved dog is one that the author obviously thought was endearing. I thought it (and the dog) were utterly disgusting. The book was a waste of money
Not Worth The Effort to Read It (Rating 2 of 5)
» Kai Bergman
I tried very hard to plow through this book, but the mediocre plot is not worth having to suffer through the annoying writing. The author makes his ancient Roman protagonist sound like a contemporary London tough. This book reads more like a script for a '40s film noir, complete with choppy dialogue full of corny, stilted phrases. I finally gave up about half-way through the book; the "mystery" was not compelling enough for me to bother continuing with it. Anyone who has read a really excellent Roman mystery - such as the series about Gordianus the Finder by Steven Saylor - will be greatly disappointed by this talentless copycat
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