Blood Relation

William Dougal #6

by Andrew Taylor

The cutthroat London publishing world is the setting for this mystery presenting William Dougal, part-time investigator, freelance book editor and full-time decent guy. Dougal is the reverse of hard-boiled; he's wistful and vulnerable, and flinches at physical violence. He longs to form a family with Celia Prentisse and their illegimate baby, Eleanor. But first he must solve the disappearance and suspected murder of suddenly flush and generally loathed publishing executive Oswald (Oz) Finwood. Suspects will include Oz's estranged wife, Lesley, (who'd do anything for daughter Olivia); Lesley's scapegrace brother, Ross; Edgar Timworth, a newly affluent literary agent who loves Lesley; and Josephine Jones, who stands to inherit Oz's job. And what about Oz's discovery, A. J. McQuarm, the mysterious, pseudonymous author of an especially witless bestselling schlockbuster? No trace of the reclusive author can be found in the publisher's files. Taylor ( Blacklist ) serves up the literary equivalent of snack food, but it's quite crunchy.

Genres: Mystery

187 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 1990

About the author

Andrew Taylor (b. 1951) is a British author of mysteries. Born in East Anglia, he attended university at Cambridge before getting an MA in library sciences from University College London. His first novel, Caroline Miniscule (1982), a modern-day treasure hunt starring history student William Dougal, began an eight-book series and won Taylor wide critical acclaim. He has written several other thriller series, most notably the eight Lydmouthbooks, which begin with An Air That Kills (1994).

His other novels include The Office of the Dead (2000) and The American Boy (2003), both of which won the Crime Writers’ Association of Britain’s Ellis Peters Historical Dagger award, making Taylor the only author to receive the prize twice. His Roth trilogy, which has been published in omnibus form as Requiem for an Angel (2002), was adapted by the UK’s ITV for its television show Fallen Angel. Taylor’s most recent novel is the historical thriller The Scent of Death (2013).

Reviews

[Kirsty Darbyshire · Rating 4 out of 5]

Oh, I do like William Dougal. These books deserve to be better known, lots of fun. And this one features a breastfed nine-ish month old which was nice to read while breastfeeding my nine-ish month old too.

[Karen · Rating 3 out of 5]

Was a bit odd to start but quick read 3/4 through

[Jon · Rating 4 out of 5]

I had never heard of Andrew Taylor until a Goodreads friend highly recommended his most recent book, so I went to the library and picked up the only one on the shelf. It's short, deceptively straightforward, without a wasted word. The sleuth, who apparently is in a series of books, is very likable. In fact all the characters seem real, complicated, and with multiple motives for their actions--more like real people than pieces to be moved in a mystery game. Taylor is a master at implying much with very little. There were a couple of details, though, that were not "play fair"--where the sleuth had information not given to the reader--otherwise I'd have given this one five stars. I'll be reading more.

[Andy Plonka · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great twisted ending.