The Beardmore Relics

by Edgar J. Lavoie

Alfred Vanderhorst, archaeologist, is convinced that the Beardmore Viking relics are genuine, not pawns in a hoax. It is his personal mission to prove they once did repose on an old mining claim near Lake Nipigon. When Vanderhorst fails to report in, Kennet Forbes is enlisted to find his missing colleague. Forbes, teacher at Thunder Bay University, soon finds himself embroiled in violence, murder, and mystery. Forbes, one-time war correspondent and former news man on national TV, rediscovers his old stomping grounds. He returns to the wilds north of Lake Superior, where he grew up. Forbes finds himself prowling a terrain full of prospecting trenches and mines with collapsing pillars. He finds more than he bargained for, including a couple of cold cases that nobody had known were cold, let alone cases. Forbes, amateur sleuth, works with the detectives of the Ontario Provincial Police, who can do things and go places he can't, and can keep the local crime family honest. Just when the natural order of the universe appears to have been restored, Kennet is saddled with an historical mystery, which the reader resolves.

Genres: Mystery

424 pages, Paperback

First published April 14, 2011

About the author

Edgar J. Lavoie lives in Greenstone, Ontario, where he retired after 35 years' teaching. He and his wife, Olga, have two children, who in turn have families of their own. The author has solid credentials in writing and publishing, ranging from little magazines, news articles, and short stories to local history books. He published his first novel, The Beardmore Relics, in 2011. He and Olga live in the boreal forest north of Thunder Bay, in a big cabin on a big lake. Geraldton Back Doors is his second Kennet Forbes mystery thriller.

Reviews

[Lynn · Rating 4 out of 5]

Bought this second-hand at a library sale. It was really quite good. The pace was perfect, and it had a definite sense of place. The main characters were multidimensional, and the mystery was complex, with perpetrators who weren't simply evil (which is too common), even if they weren't all particularly nice. Also, although mystery novels that take someone from a completely unrelated profession (like the owner of a coffee shop) and turn that person into a detective can be fun, this was much more believable. Journalists are, after all, a kind of detective.

[Pat St-Martin · Rating 4 out of 5]

One of the best books I have ever read. it could be because it takes place in known locales. the only thing that baffles me is the epilogue. Who is that in there?

[Czarny Pies · Rating 4 out of 5]

A Norse explorer abandons his sword in the boreal forest near Lake Nipigon in the tenth century. A WWI veteran dies nearby prospecting for gold in the 1920s. An unpleasant young academic meets a violent end in a research project intended to re-launch his mediocre career. A high school graduation party goes tragically wrong. What is the thread tying all these incidents together? Edgar Lavoie's introduces all these elements in the Beardmore Relics and then unites them in a highly satisfactory conclusion. This is a very solid whodunit and a great read.
The Beardmore Relics contains a fascinating cast of characters that delight and infuriate. Mr. Lavoie has written the best book on life in one of the declining communities found north of Barrie on Highway 11 since Daniel Poliquin's Obomsawin appeared twenty-five years ago. Heartily recommended for anyone who has ever travelled this lonely highway.

[Kathy · Rating 5 out of 5]

Guest Review

My little sister sent me a copy of this book for my birthday. I was born in Beardmore, so she thought I may be interested. I don’t typically write book reviews, however I couldn’t help myself in this case.

Initially, I found the book interesting simply because I am familiar with the geographic area and have been to the “tiny” places like Tansleyville and Macdiarmid (where I was baptized in 1956). But as I read on, the mystery, characters, and intrigue captivated my imagination and kept me guessing through to the surprising end. This is “an excellent read” with very impressive writing for a début novel. Kudos to E.J. Lavoie and I can’t wait to see what he has I store for us next…