Finished, fell for the 'this is too obvious' when selecting the villain, enjoyed it.
Hi Adam,
Reviewing a mystery book (something I have never done unless you count the mystery to why some chess books have been ever written)
without dropping hints or spoilers may be dodgy. But you can use.
Spurious Games by David Jenkins.
This is a murder(s) mystery with chess players getting knocked off and chess games and diagrams taunting the
police as clues. At under £10.00 It's cheaper than your modern opening book and you will read this one.
Treading carefully not to give any clues about who done it and why. I'll relate it to a chess players style.
Not a smooth Capablanca or Tarrasch game. Imagine a Duchamp with a bit Steinitz and a dash Tal
and a sting in the tale (a pun) combination. Loads of strange characters, just like any chess club.
Certainly not a 'Mills and Boon' with chess as the setting which is an all too common trick.
I love me Sci-fi and have been conned dozens of times into love triangles set in the future
with sex in spaceships instead of cars, robots instead of waiters and not an alien in sight.
Here we get a one page, one night stand with a randy copper. I thought he we go....she's gonna get
pregnant, a jealous boyfriend will appear and the love mush bit will pad out the rest of the book.
Thankfully that did not happen. (unless there is a sequel.)
That gripe out of the way, I was a wee bit disappointed how it ended, maybe because it ended
and I was enjoying it....or maybe it's because I don't like endings!
Doubt if it make the screen or TV unless it is dumbed down (and more love interest added).
I found a bit of it pretty heavy thought provoking stuff with clues and misdirections everywhere.
I found I enjoyed having my thoughts provoked and had to go back through the book to match things up.
(you will know what I mean when you read it.) Enjoy.
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I'm now off to drop it off at Keith Ruxton house.....I'll wear my spotted mask and shirt so he can see me coming.
(note I've placed myself infront of books like those on TV link-ups to show how clever I am.)