Fall from Grace

Karl Alberg #4

by L.R. Wright

It's midsummer in British Columbia, and it's hot. Murderously hot, as RCMP Staff Sergeant Karl Alberg finds when his day at the beach with his ex is cut short by the discovery of a fresh corpse. And back in Sechelt, a nuisance call from an eccentric redneck swiftly leads Alberg into a psychological Gordian knot and a second crime a decade old.

Redneck Herman Ferguson is unkempt, unpleasant, and possibly dangerous. His long-suffering wife wants nothing to do with his assortment of caged wild animals, concentrating instead on feeding the kids and dodging blows. But Herman has it in for another misfit--a mumbling elderly woman who lives alone with innumerable cats. And the wife, well, she has it bad for Bobby Ransome, a muscular, charismatic high school dropout and ex-con.

In her masterful style, award-winning author L.R. Wright weaves a chilling tale of jealousy, gossip, and the tangled affairs of young men and women who loved one another long ago. And she shows once again why her mysteries have been praised as "every bit as good as the novels of Ruth Rendell and P.D. James" by People magazine.

Genres: Mystery, Canada, Fiction, Crime, Procedural, Adult, Ebooks

288 pages, Mass Market Paperback

First published January 1, 1991

About the author

L.R. Wright was born Laurali Rose Appleby on 5 June 1939 in Saskatoon, Saskatchewan. Known as Bunny, Wright grew up in Saskatoon and in Abbotsford, British Columbia. She worked as a reporter in Calgary before becoming a full-time writer in 1977. After publishing her fourth book, Wright returned to school, receiving an M.A. in Liberal Studies from Simon Fraser University. She taught writing at the University of British Columbia and wrote adaptations for several of her books for radio, film, and television. L.R. Wright died of breast cancer on 25 February 2001.

Series:
* Karl Alberg
* Eddie Henderson

Awards
Arthur Ellis Award: Novel
* 1991 – A Chill Rain in January – Winner
* 1996 – Mother Love – Winner

Reviews

[EmG ReadsDaily · Rating 3 out of 5]

An interesting mystery, featuring jealousy and gossip.

[Cynthia Sillitoe · Rating 3 out of 5]

Still well-written, but there's part of it that's not clear and I can't find spoilers online. Also, one of the most interesting side characters doesn't have enough scenes.

[Natalie · Rating 3 out of 5]

my least favorite of the three I’ve read but the crazy cat lady’s slippery mind and the way she regroups to communicate is nearly as well done as the runaway senior with dementia that we met in the last installment - there’s an accuracy and sympathy with which these stories treat the frailties and and braveries of the aging that makes me want to read them all

[Mizloo · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is an eerie consideration of the effects of one charismatic, sexy guy with zero empathy, and little regard for consequences, on all of those around him. Riveting!

[BookAddict · Rating 4 out of 5]

I liked this one, it was quite different from the others and there's quite a cast of characters and suspects to choose from.

[Pat Bretheim · Rating 3 out of 5]

A man is found at the base of a cliff with $23,000 in a money belt around his waist. If he was murdered, why didn't the attacker take the money first? Once the man is identified, then the question becomes, "Why???" He was a very nice man and had no enemies that anyone was aware of. It takes quite a bit of digging to find out why he was murdered.

[Bud Mallar · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was very hard for me to get into.

It seemed like the back story and the introduction of (too many) characters went on forever.

Not really a whodunit, nor a police procedural, but a lot of character development, family issues and life in a small town.

And to be perfectly honest I'm not sure I heard or understood the 'reason' for the eventual whodunedit.

Our 'hero' and is maybe sweetie spend a lot of time not on the page....

And it's a bit like a serial in the 1950s movie theaters (remember sky king?) where you know, maybe, you are going to 'hear' from some of these people again.

[Karen · Rating 3 out of 5]

I didn’t care for this book as much as others. I found it very confusing and to be honest, I’m still not sure I understand exactly what happened. A disappointing ending that was anti climatic sadly.

[Rose · Rating 3 out of 5]

I always enjoy these little gems set in my home turf - I can picture exactly that low-rise Kits apartment 2 blocks from the beach and across from a school - I had friends who lived right there in the 80s! That aside, the disparate character story lines are slowly and skillfully woven together and tiny clues are ferreted out by Karl Alberg, the Sechelt RCMP who must solve the mystery using old-fashioned methods (all before computer days, my friends!), while trying to make sense of his own life.
However, with Fall From Grace, I felt there were some loose ends left to be wondered about... like what was in the scrapbook?, what was Steven atoning for?, what happened to Bobby?, to Warren? did Annabelle reconcile with her parents? did Rose-Iris find out the truth?

[Ann · Rating 3 out of 5]

I like the way that L.R. Wright thought and wrote. "Fall From Grace" is book #4 (out of 9) in the Karl Alberg series set on the Sunshine Coast in Canada on the Pacific coast near Vancouver.

Staff Sergeant Karl Alberg and his girl friend, town librarian Cassandra Mitchell, take a boat ride and end up with a body. The plot concerns a secret from the past that is never clearly revealed. I felt like I was missing something when I got to the end because things weren't wrapped up as in her earlier entries in this series. The writing and characters still delight however!

[Julie · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 stars

This one was elliptical, with very few facts stated outright and the summary of the crime - the initial one that set off this entire thing - clouded at the end. The “between the lines” subtexts and clues are foggy. At least to me.

And whatever’s going on between Karl and Cassandra? The series started when he was 44 in the first book. It’s nearly six years later and he hits 50 at the end of this book. I’m not sure I’m feeling any deep connection between these two.

[Cat · Rating 4 out of 5]

Lots of characters introduced all at once made this a bit more confusing. Got them all eventually of course but made for not as an enjoyable read. More soap opera type story as far as who’s with who, who was with who etc. Not my scene. Abusive husband was a bit triggering so I didn’t enjoy that as much either. Annabelle was written well though and I enjoyed the writing of her character. It was ok. Ordered the next two in the series. I still like her writing.

[Ron Christiansen · Rating 3 out of 5]

Wright doesn't quite land this one. Usually her characters' motives are spot on, believable and authentic, but not here. The villain just doesn't add up in the end. I don't buy him as a real person; instead, he simply serves the plot when needed.

[Jaye · Rating 2 out of 5]

Just OK. Not nearly as good as "the Suspect" or "Sleep While I Sing".

[Tomi · Rating 2 out of 5]

Strange book - it took way too long for the various stories to fit together.

[Stacy · Rating 3 out of 5]

Didn’t like the main story as much as the past series.

[Roberta Luukkonen · Rating 2 out of 5]

What happened? Really disappointed with this one, it’s like the author just went yeah I’m done. So many questions left unanswered at the end.

[Jan · Rating 4 out of 5]

During a summer of oppressive heat and no rain, the Sunshine Coast of British Columbia stresses everyone in Sechelt. Staff Sargeant Karl Alberg (RMCP) is avoiding his employee evaluations, one of his daughters is spending the summer with him, and a charismatic bad boy from high school returns after 10 years away, most of them spent in prison.

Many of Bobby Ransome’s friends, girlfriends, and family are conflicted about his return. He was always a magnetic personality, attracting some, repelling others. The heat makes everyone a little more touchy. Alberg looks for some relief on the water, renting a sailboat and taking Cassandra out for an afternoon of relaxation on the water. They go out to an island frequented by the locals and arrive just as a young man falls to his death (is thrown?) from the cliffs.

This is another of Lorelei Wright’s quirky mysteries which sets them apart. The resolution is more life-like than a lot of the genre. Not everything is tightly wrapped up; there are still some questions at the end. This makes this series fascinating. This story is more about Annabelle and her brother Warren than it is about Alberg. Still a good entry in the series. Highly recommended.

Readalikes:
Louise Penny – The Long Way Home; R. M. Greenaway – Cold Girl; Giles Blunt’s John Cardinal mysteries; Kelley Armstrong – City of the Lost; Michael Brandman – Robert B. Parker’s Killing the Blues (Jesse Stone); John Sandford – Dark of the Moon; W.D. Valgardson – In Valhalla’s Shadows; Margaret Mizushima – Killing Trail; John George Moss – Lindstrom Alone.

Pace: Fast-Paced
Characters: Flawed; complex; interesting
Story: Character-driven
Writing style: Compelling
Tone: Suspenseful
Frame: Sunshine Coast, B.C.; contemporary
Theme: Small Town Police

[Milley · Rating 4 out of 5]

I am re-reading the books on my shelf and this is my favourite series of them all. I love the insight and stream of consciousness from the characters. I like that the main characters Karl and Cassandra are middle aged and dealing with regular folk stuff. It is fab that there have been so many older adult characters. The real life of aging of illness, children, divorce, new relationships, etc is refreshing. Less 20 something angst. This book however does have younger adults. And it is fine.

The suspense in these books is top notch. They tend to be shorter than many mysteries especially the first few books but the suspense matches the length of the book with no filler. I feel like I liked this book more than many other reviewers . Maybe there were some plot weaknesses but I love the insight into the characters and what happened to them over the ten year span.

A Chill Rain, Fall From Grace and Prized Possessions were the top for me and I feel the first books led up to them.

I won’t add anything to this review but I felt the series went down hill after these three books by bringing in the same old same old “entitled man stalks and kills “.

I think these books predate Wallander. They are similar superficially in that they both have a middle aged cop in a small town. But what I like about these ones is that there isn’t that conspiracy theory- trafficking- corruption theme that seems to over run Scandinavian thrillers. This series focussed on the local and almost unwitting or reluctant villain. Not that trafficking and the violence and murder associated doesn’t happen and isn’t important. Of course it does and it is. It is also all over the place.

In contrast, this series tend to focus on local happenstance. The Sunshine Coast setting itself is a character and the characters and their tragedies match it. So having the crimes be unique to the people and place is very well done and feels more creative.

[SSparkles85 · Rating 1 out of 5]

Horrible from beginning to end. No redeemable characters, the plot is full of holes and is almost laughable. So far, this book’s plot has been the furthest removed from the storyline portrayed in the television show (and honestly the rewrite of that stunk too, it’s one of my least favorite episodes). This story was released in the early 90s, it’s been confirmed in previous novels that this is the established timeline. However, the main woman narrator talks and acts like she’s from the 50s for no apparent reason. She lives in a nice home but doesn’t own a freezer, um—what? As someone who grew up in the 90s, that was NOT a thing—even in poorer, smaller communities, freezers were well established at this time in every home and not some new invention. She constantly cheats on her husband with a low life murderer (and continues to do so even after discovering this fact) and because her spouse beats her I’m supposed to be okay with her actions or feel bad for her? Not to mention that the storyline inexplicably ends with no resolution or follow up. I didn’t like a single character’s portrayal or storyline and I will never force myself to read this trash again.

1/5 stars, would give 0 stars if I was able to. Filthy descriptions and horrible language. Almost makes me want to not read any other books in the series if the author keeps it up, she seems off her rocker.

[Lorraine · Rating 3 out of 5]

There are a lot of characters in this story, and I got confused who was who until later in the story. It's a very hot summer on the Sunshine Coast and since it's set in 1991 there isn't much air conditioning and people just dealt with it. Alberg gets a complaint about the theft of some animals from a mini zoo. It's not a good zoo, just some poor animals imprisoned in cages too small for them, so someone was letting the animals out. Then, while sailing with Cassandra, Alberg sees body of a man who had fallen from the top of a dangerous tower of land and died quickly. The dead man is wearing a money belt with $23,000 in it. Alberg tries to find out what happened, and while searching the peak of land, finds a camera lens cover. Where is the expensive camera?

This was a slow moving story. I had to re-read some sections to understand who the characters were. I didn't like it as much as the previous book, but will continue to read this series.

[Carolien · Rating 3 out of 5]

Not the strongest book in the series, but I enjoy the author's approach to crime writing from multiple points of view and a lot less violence than is expected of current crime writers. In this case, the story starts with a group of school kids at graduation meeting again in the same small town a decade later. We know early on who will die and who will be the murderer, but the circumstances and motives only become apparent towards the end. For this one, it took me a while to get all the characters and their relationships to each other straight and I probably missed some of the nuances early in the story as a result. Karl and Cassandra's relationship is progressing well and the setting and small town atmosphere are well described. I am planning on completing the series as I have enjoyed its book thus far.

[Deane · Rating 3 out of 5]

I didn't particularly like this book in the series....a young man falls or is pushed off a cliff and lands on the beach where there are many families gathered. He has $23,000 in his money belt but his very expensive camera is missing.

Alberg does eventually solve the case but the ending is not clear. It actually involves what happened 10 years before when the two men involved were teens; one had spent nearly 10 years in jail due to the victim of the fall which we discover later.

In the midst of this a redneck has a bunch of cages filled with tiny animals which he calls a zoo...these animals are not cared for properly and Herman makes little money on them. He beats his wife, Annabelle who is having sex with a past boyfriend, Bobby.

[Black Butterfly · Rating 3 out of 5]

OMG! I'M ON PAGE 16 AND I'M SICK OF THIS CONFUSING WRITING STYLE. MORE TIME IS SPENT ON DISCRIPTIVE FEELINGS AND SCENES THAN ON A DEFINITE STORYLINE. I DON'T KNOW IF I CAN FINISH THIS. THE DETAILED INFO GOES ON AND ON, IT MAKES THE STORYLINE ALMOST DISSAPEAR. THE STORYLINE JUST GETS LOST AMONG ALL THE UNEEDED WORDS. I'M ON 46% AND SEEMS LIKE I SHOULD HAVE COMPLETED THIS BOOK. AROUND 30% I WENT TO THE TV SERIES TO SEE IF THAT WOULD HELP.
I WATCHED SEASON#1 AND I MUST SAY I ENJOYED THE TV VERSION MORE THAN THE BOOK. I WOULD HAVE ENJOYED THE BOOK HAD THE WRITING STYLE BEEN LESS DESCRIPTIVE. ;<

[Al · Rating 5 out of 5]

Complex & Satisfying

LR Wright weaves a multitude of plot lines and people together, teasing out facts and red herrings all the while. It isn’t ‘til the end of her books where everything and everyone come together. She writes very well, is adept at characterization, sense of place and descriptions of people, places, and things. Great books—they will keep you thinking, sifting, and analyzing facts until the very end.

[Sandra · Rating 3 out of 5]

Incomplete ending

The author leaves much to be desired in the ending of this one. I don't think it ever was explained what the victim actually did to cause his murder. The whole story is vague, along with having an incomplete ending. I think the author even got bored with this story. I am reading this series because they are easy reads while on a break. I will reads only the next one, if it ends the same way I am out. Disappointed.

[Mj · Rating 4 out of 5]

What just happened?

Thus is an interesting book, weather, roses, and wild animals in cages adding to the climax of violence. Unfortunately the author isn't quite up to the task of following through on the lust, abuse, and lawlessness he's set in motion. There are too many plots that are not resolved.

[Lee · Rating 2 out of 5]

Still don't know why the guy was murdered. Makes very little sense. Over a photo? Very weak story, and no reason for Alberg's daughter suddenly showing up to see the abuse. And what happened to Herman and Annabelle? The story is only partly told, as if L>R> Wright got bored with it long before the ending. So disappointing.

[Deborah · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wow, oh, wow! I saw this episode on TV and it barely resembles the book. The book is suspenseful, riveting, and engaging! I was on the edge of my seat trying to figure out who the murderer was and why? Can't wait to start the next one!

[Stephanie Stofiel · Rating 4 out of 5]

Fabulous Read

The author did another fantastic job of keeping me interested in what happens next. Bringing in other characters and winding them throughout the narrative brought a fresh depth to the story. Good read!