Death's Bright Dart

For the 2016 reading challenge, one of the book had to have a lead character who worked in the same industry as the reader. In this case, the hero is a college professor, as was I.
Synopsis: In the midst of a conference, one of the main speakers dies. There is also a burglary in which a African blowgun is stolen. And to top this off it appears a Nazi war criminal is on the loose.
Review: Set on the campus of Cambridge, this interesting mystery was written in the 1980s by a British author; the slang and general language usage makes reading the book a bit of a challenge in some places. The actual murderer was difficult to uncover, although once revealed he/she was the logical suspect. This book was good enough that I may read the rest of show more the series. show less

Dr. R.V. Davie, retired college professor and amateur detective, is attending a scientific symposium at the College of St. Nicholas at Cambridge. What is to be an informative and academic event becomes dramatic when murder happens.

Among the learned professors attending is Dr. Brauer, an ambitious, handsome, egotistical man and the featured speaker at the conference. As he takes the podium to speak, he hesitates and then collapses. He has been felled by a poison dart.

There is a museum on the college grounds, which houses a collection of primitive weapons. A blow gun has gone missing and Brauer's death makes the missing weapon a focal point.

During Dr. Davie's investigation, it turns out that a number of the good professors have some deep show more secrets and possible motives for wanting Brauer dead, and some secrets that may be dark but of no importance. Skeletons in many closets. These all lend themselves to a twisting plot that can surprise the reader at the end.

They style of the writing has a taste of Dickens with the names and descriptions. As it is set in England and in a setting in academia it all fits nicely, in my opinion. (less)

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Dr. Davie of Cambridge investigates the death of a lecturer. Although published in the late '60s, this read like an older book to me (that is as if it had been written before I was born). I wasn't too impressed although I generally like academic mysteries.

Who recommended it to me: zoe-lee