Foul Deeds: A Rosalind Mystery

by Linda Moore

A professional criminologist, Rosalind works with a cranky private investigator named McBride—a long-time association that has led her from one sordid foray to another in the world of crime. Her passionate escape is theatre and her latest venture is with a company of out-of-work actors putting on an independent production of Hamlet. Shakespeare s language is a fabulous distraction until the uncanny parallels between life and art begin to unnerve her. Peter King, a respected environmental lawyer working tirelessly to keep water in the public domain, dies suddenly. Is it murder? His son Daniel thinks so. And as Roz and McBride delve deeper into the case, it becomes all too clear that there are those who will stop at nothing to ensure their foul deeds stay buried.

Genres: Mystery, Fiction, Canada

280 pages, Paperback

First published September 25, 2007

Reviews

[Daveymcc · Rating 5 out of 5]

A lovely read with lots of detail. I used to know Halifax NS well, really took be back to some well-loved areas.
Great characters, loved all the theatrical connections and when you think it's done there are more twists to come.
Very enjoyable!

[John · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is the precursor to The Fundy Vault which I've reviewed already. When I purchased The Fundy Vault I was not aware it was the second of an ongoing mystery series. When I did discover this fact after enjoying the second installment, I looked up the original. This one is set in Halifax, Nova Scotia. Her employer, PI Macbride, has her researching a death deemed a suicide. The victim's son is not convinced. Moore has a knack for tricking you into thinking nothing very exciting is going on, then the shoe drops. Both of the Rosalind Mysteries I have read gave me the feel of a modern day Murder She Wrote. Part of that is the artistic bent of both Jessica Fletcher and Rosalind. While Jessica is an author, Rosalind is a theater adviser. As a bit of a theater hound myself, I found this aspect completely relatable. It was also interesting how the author presented these theatrical interludes as almost unrelated, but then some aspect of the play, or the production, or some obscure aspect relates directly to the case at hand. This is unlike the Jessica Fletcher character. Her books had pretty much nothing to do with the mysteries other than loosely explaining her involvement in the first place.

The troop in the story may be performing Shakespeare, but Linda Moore's writing cannot be compared to that caliber. The story is fun, interesting, and keeps you thinking.

In short, I recommend it.

[David]

Imagine Hamlet as told mostly from the POV of the young woman who is to Ophelia as Horatio is to Hamlet--a character which does not exist in Shakespeare's play. That's Rosalind--who is probably on leave from As You Like It--a criminologist with a fascination for Shakespeare who is helping with a production of Hamlet while investigating the murder of a King (Peter King) at the behest of King's Laertes/Fortinbras-like son, Daniel. There is too much of the Hamlet conceit, and when it vanishes from the foreground the pace of this novel better lives up to its blurbs. Reversals play a large role in the plot, the old noir device of 'getting the drop' on others changing in rapid order. The motive underlying the crime is suitably relevant to our own world--water profiteering--and the violence is par for the course of the contemporary mystery. But ultimately it is Sam Sheppard rather than Shakespeare who holds the key to the mystery, and the whole of the Hamlet production seems to have served mostly the purpose of leading into the next show the company will mount, Fool for Love.

[Kayleigh · Rating 5 out of 5]

well damn.

[Deane · Rating 4 out of 5]

A very fast-paced novel set in Halifax, Nova Scotia and since I lived there for a few years, it was fun to picture Ros' travels around the Brunswick/Cornwallis Street areas. If you like Hamlet, Ros is involved in producing that play and there is a lot of interaction between that script and the solving of the murder. An easy read with all ends tied up nicely in the conclusion...which I really like....don't like to be left wondering.

There was an introduction to Tarot cards but that just goes over my head....if I let some feature in a book bother me, unless it were the main theme, I would never read anything....magazines, novels, even the list of ingredients on food....

[Anne · Rating 4 out of 5]

Reading this book was a bizarre experience... I was in Halifax studying urban planning around the time this book was being written, incidentally in the building across from the parking lot where the initial action happens. I've been to most of the places where the main events happen, which never happens when you're from the Maritimes. I've even made that same bus/train trip from Halifax to Moncton, have had to transfer in Truro, and know that it's the *theatre* building at MtA that had the Asbestos problem (kudos to Moore for that) because it's where I eventually did my undergraduate degree.

My 4 star rating is definitely influenced by the novelty of seeing a place I've lived represented in fiction for once. If you aren't a homesick Maritimer, take it with a huge grain of salt!

[Laura Richardson · Rating 3 out of 5]

The first half of this book was incredibly dull, but it did pick up midway through. The characters were fairly flat and the dialogue not overly engaging. As a Nova Scotia girl, I did get a kick of out knowing all of the streets, landmarks and events mentioned in the book (even staying on Spring Garden Road and visiting the Commons and Anglican Church recently). I didn't like the way McBride was phased out towards the end, but did appreciate that the book did a fair job wrapping up all loose ends. I'm not a Shakespeare fan, so those parts didn't interest me but overall it's a quick, easy read.

[Lana Kamennof-sine · Rating 2 out of 5]

There is no doubt that the author is skilled in theatrical productions. Her knowledge of staging & Shakespeare in general, and Hamlet in particular is deep. I enjoyed the references to places in Halifax, NS, where it's set, particularly as they helped me visualize locales & meals enjoyed.
That said I did not connect with the characters & once I thought about it felt the story itself to be a modern variant on Hamlet.

[Aimee · Rating 4 out of 5]

Took me a minute to get through this one.
Interesting story, good to read something based off where I live, even if it was 15+ years ago.
Plot twist actually got me, wasn't expecting the turn it did take, and it felt like it took a real long time to get there, and once it did, I feel like the book ended really fast, like the author couldn't wrap it up fast enough.
All in all was a good book though.

[Carrie · Rating 3 out of 5]

Foul Deeds is an engaging cozy mystery that moves along at a good pace. Rosalind, a “researcher”, is strangely allowed by the police to effectively take over the investigation. If you’re willingly to accept that, all good.

A theatre lover might appreciate the “parallels between life and art” more than I did.

I thought the Halifax setting might be a good feature. Certainly a lot of street names and locations are mentioned but it’s too bad it’s not more atmospheric.

[Tim O · Rating 5 out of 5]

A short but “thrilling” murder/ international espionage/ love story tied in with an amateur production of Hamlet. A typical Linda Moore “private investigator” mystery. I hope I can find some more of her work.

[Sandra · Rating 3 out of 5]

A really enjoyable mystery by Nova Scotia writer Linda Moore. I look forward to reading more books about Rosalind.

[Ramona Jennex · Rating 5 out of 5]

An extremely enjoyable mystery! I loved that is was authenticly set in the historic capital city of Nova Scotia. Brava Linda Moore!

[Donald · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great to find a a great Maritime mystery writer. I enjoyed the twists and turns of the plot and the connections to Hamlet.

[Teena in Toronto · Rating 1 out of 5]

This book caught my attention because it was a mystery set in Halifax, NS.

I wasn't drawn to either Ros or McBride ... I didn't like their personalities.

There was a lot of emphasis on Shakespeare and his writings which I found annoying.

The story is set in Halifax and I found the author tried too hard to keep reminding us of this by continually dropping names of the streets and local establishments.

I must admit the I skipped to the end to be finished.

[Lucy · Rating 2 out of 5]

Disappointing. I was looking forward to reading this book because it's set in Halifax, and I read promising reviews about the author. The plot and characters were unbelievable, the dialogue was simplistic, and the diversions about MacBeth were boring and unnecessary. I'm almost tempted to read another one of her books to see if they're all as poorly written as this one, or if it's an anomaly. Almost tempted, but not likely.

[Michelle · Rating 1 out of 5]

I really WANTED to like this book because I've been trying to find mysteries set in Halifax, but I don't think that Taro cards are a legit way of solving a mystery, so I put the book down and soon as the characters pulled them out. Too bad, I love Hamlet and I thought that having that story woven in added good depth!

[Allison · Rating 1 out of 5]

read as far as I could. boring boring boring