4.0 out of 5 stars
Murders in the New World, Dec 2 2011
Edgar-winner Pattison time travels the reader back to 18th Century North America. He captures the vastness of the new world while navigating through the customs and motives of the empires competing for the wealth of the land. He assigns a crafty nobility to the indigenous tribes whose way of life are under threat. Both the English and French are portrayed as blunt and brutal.
This sequel emulates what made 2007's Bone Rattler immensely enjoyable - how so much actual history can be absorbed through a detective story comprised of rich and intriguing characters. As he states in his author's note, it was a time of great change acted out by heroes, saints, and villains. And given the period and plot, the lines between these types blurred and merged as cultures clashed.
His style definitely improved in this second effort but it seemed to pursue too many angles so the story dragged in places. Yet, overall Pattison conveys an earnest lament for how North America was settled and packages it in a compelling mystery series that both entertains and informs.
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