Review of ARTFUL DEATH by Roderic Jeffries
AN INSPECTOR ALVAREZ NOVEL
St. Martin's Minotaur, December 2002 (2000 in the U.K.)
When an English real estate developer turns up missing in Mallorca, Spain, police Inspector Alvarez suspects foul play. After all, Keith Vickers was a completely nasty fellow. Suspects include his estranged wife, about to be cut off from her allowance, ex-girlfriends, and a British politician who conveniently met with Vickers just hours before the man's disappearance. Too many suspects is a good kind of problem in many investigations, but Alvarez runs into resistance from his boss--and finds his job and pension at risk once more.
With ARTFUL DEATH, author Roderic Jeffries (see more BooksForABuck.com reviews of novels by this author) delivers another delightful Inspector Alvarez mystery. Alvarez is charming with his addiction to siestas, cognac in his coffee, nagging family, and an interest in mystery just slightly less than his interest in the next meal. Although Alvarez may seem to be a bumbling cop, his philosophical insights give him better vision than those around him--and make for a satisfying read.
I'm not sure whether the Alvarez books are getting better and better, or if I'm just becoming more immersed in the characters, but I have found each of these novels to be more satisfying than the one before, with ARTFUL DEATH being the best one yet.
Four Stars
Reviewed 1/01/03
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