Book Review: Ninth Square

Reviewed By: Sandi - RAM

Ninth Square     Amazon US PB Amazon US HC Amazon Canada PB Amazon Canada HC
Gorman Bechard
Class/Genre:   Mystery   Police Procedural
Tor Books

HB January 2002; 319 pp.

PB May 2003; 320 pp.

I had the opportunity to hear Gorman Bechard as part of a panel at Bouchercon in Las Vegas this past fall. As he described his novel, `Ninth Square,' I realized it had several of my favorite topics, pizza, sex and murder. As a friend of mine quipped, `what more could a girl want?' This book quickly became the (unofficial) `official Bouchercon hooker book.'

Detective Will Shute is not having a good couple of days. He is very recently divorced. 60,000 religious `Sons of God' are coming to New Haven, CT for a rally at the Yale Bowl. But then one of the Sons of God leaders is murdered in a sleazy motel, probably by a prostitute. The police chief wants the case wrapped up quick and easy. But as Detective Shute and other detectives on the case begin to investigate, they find it is anything but quick and easy.

I enjoyed Will's sense of humor. He takes lots of shots at religious piety and is self-deprecating at all the right times. He is quite naive about his (ex-)wife's behavior, but does begin to have some insight at the end of the book. His computer expertise, which helps to solve the crimes, keeps his day job. But he still dreams of becoming a rock-n-roll star, and worships his guitar. At least he has good taste in music.

Hopefully we'll see more of Detective Will Shute.

Sandi - RAM

Reprinted with permission. Do Not repost without permission from the author, Sandi - RAM