The Nicholas Feast: A Gil Cunningham Murder Mystery [Paperback]

"Oh what a tangled web we weave," Shakespeare would write some 100 years later. In the meantime, Pat McIntosh gives us a taste of what he might have meant in her second of a series featuring Gil Cunningham in "The Nicholas Feast."

Set in 1492 (a convenient year for any historical writer!), "The Nicholas Feast" finds young (and still single) Mr. Cunningham, student of law and nephew of a local official, embroiled in solving his second murder in less than a month (The first being "The Harper's Quine"). Gil is on hand to observe academic ceremonies of his alma mater during this church holiday and it's now time (hardly before lunch) that a murder is committed. Young William Irvine, one of the students and an actor at the pageantry observance, is found in the coal house with lots of clues and non-clues scattered about his person. He is the bastard son of the influential Montgomery family and Gil discovers that he is even more than that. He's a 16-year-old extortionist, who many at the school would have motive for his death. Complications, indeed, arise. And Gil is given two days to solve the case. Or else.

McIntosh clearly demonstrates her knowledge of historical Glasgow (which apparently was no more beautiful than it is now) and following the success of her first Cunningham novel knows how to create a readable historical murder mystery. Her style is terse and moves quite easily--except for the fact that, in order to accentuate the local color, she drops into too much Scots dialect for most American readers, anyway. Some would be fine, but too much is, well, too much and it becomes a stumbling block at times.

The plot moves quite well, despite that, until the climactic scene (ah, yes, Ms McIntosh has read all of Agatha Christie's works, it seems) and relies upon the old "gather everyone in parlor and I'll tell solve the crime while surrounded by all the characters who COULD have done the deed." Sigh, indeed.

Character-wise, though, the author gets a good mark here. Clearly, she's entranced by her central character (as she should be) and Gil Cunningham has the makings of a fine 15th century sleuth and academic. His romantic interest, Alys, though comes across a bit syrupy but credit goes to the author for providing us with a 15th century woman, ready to jump into the 20th century: she can read; she has a mind of her own; she's ready to act independently; and she's also likeable. I suspect Ms McIntosh will wed the two sooner of later.

A third in the series is already out (a good sign). "The Nicholas Feast" is a good read. (Billyjhobbs@tyler.net)

While I liked this book, I did not feel it was as well written as the first book in the series. It felt as though the author was pushed to have a second in the series too fast to do as complete a job. Hopefully, the next book will match the quality and detail of "The Harpers Quine."

This is the second book in a mystery series set in 1492 Glasgow, only two weeks after the events detailed in The Harper's Quine. Gil Cunningham is trying to settle his personal-life changes (such as formally getting betrothed to his brilliant and beautiful Alys, and Mom coming to town) when he's called upon to return to the University for a traditional feast. During the feast, a student is found murdered -- and Gil's just the guy to find out who's responsible.

The mystery itself is only so-so (which means that I figured out whodunnit well before the end), but the characters are engaging and the historical details are great. The people have "everyday humor," giving you reasons to smile at the page rather than to laugh aloud. (Plus there *is* a wonderful dog, and that admiration is coming from a cat-person.) McIntosh does an excellent job of bringing 1492 Scotland to life without dangling it distractingly in the reader's face, from what might be served at dinner to the current state of political intrigue.

The result is that this is not an "Oh wow you must read this!" novel, but it is a very enjoyable historical mystery with just gosh-durn-good storytelling. You'll probably like it more if you read the first book before this one (also, it IS a little bit better), but nothing in this tale requires information from the earlier volume. If you're in the mood for "Hey, just give me something good to read," you won't be disappointed with this book.