Mystery (original 1990; edition 1994)

I was a little surprised by this one. I wasn't sure at the beginning if I would like it, it seemed a little all over the place, but after a little while I just got caught up in it. I found the writing to be very visually descriptive. Imagine dying twice, and then finding out you are someone other than who you always believed you were. Of course mix that in with murder, money and secrets, add a fictional Carribean island with vacations to exclusive lake retreats and you have a recipe for a great read. My only regret is that I found out this is the second book in a trilogy and I already have a copy of KOKO (book1), so now I'll have to read it out of order. Looking forward to it! ( )

To put it mildly, this is a book I must have read a dozen times since I was a teenager, and I still feel the same fascination with the plot now as the first time I read it in French. There is a deep sense of 'uncanny' ('unheimlich'), as the modern day storyline is mixed with strange elements and past history ghosts/murders. Everything is connected between the past and the present and Straub's skill is fully developped as he plays with readers with clues and connections, daring us to understand the full story right up til the end.

The narrative is on the third person, but you feel close to the main character, Tom, as you read his thoughts and perceive his reasonning along the plot. I enjoyed the first part most, Tom's childhood, as it is a key element for the whole storyline. This book cannot be put down, because you feel you have to know what happens and you have to know the reasons behind so many murders. It is a good stand-alone book, the one that initiated me to the 'Blue Rose' murders series and I have read the rest of the books - this book is highly recommended as a first approach to Straub's 'thriller' genre writing (well apart from his 'horror' genre). ( )

The small Caribbean island of Mill Walk is run by an elite group of rich islanders who live in an enclave on the East shore and spend their summers together 'up north', in Eagle Lake Wisconsin. They are an insular group, who pretend not to notice the corruption that supports their priviledged lifestyle, so when Tom Pasmore, the teenage grandson of one of the most powerful men on the islanders develops an interest in murders past and present, it really causes waves!

Unexpectedly good! I didn't realise that Peter Straub wrote murder mysteries as well as horror stories. ( )

Reasl tough going. Interesting most of the time but too much detail ( )

The best Holmes pastiche I’ve read—and yes, I know the character’s name isn’t Holmes, and he’s not English, and it’s half a century too late for a pastiche…but still. ( )