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Sebastian Synard Mysteries #1
One for the Rock
Sebastian Synard doesn’t want any more trouble than he already has. But when he leads a group of tourists along the cliffs of St. John’s harbour, one of them ends up dead. Not only is there a murderer in his tour group, but the cop assigned to the case is sleeping with Sebastian’s ex-wife. It seems like things can’t get any worse, but as he’s enlisted to help flush out the perpetrator, the trail leads deeper than expected, and Sebastian finds himself on the edge.
192 pages, Paperback
Published April 20, 2018
13 people are currently reading
207 people want to read
About the author
Kevin Major
30 books39 followersKevin Major is the author of 20 books, for both young people and adults. The first, Hold Fast, won several awards in Canada and was placed on the Hans Christian Andersen Honour List. It was released in 2014 as a feature film. His second book, Far From Shore, was the winner of the first Canadian Young Adult Book Award. Others which followed include Blood Red Ochre and Eating Between the Lines, winner of the CACL Book-of-the-Year Award.
In 1992 Kevin was given the Vicky Metcalf Award, for an outstanding body of work of significance to young people. The languages into which his work has been translated include French, Danish, German, Spanish, Portuguese, and Hebrew.
An adult novel, No Man’s Land, about the Newfoundland Regiment in World War I, was published in 1995 to much acclaim. Kevin’s adaption of the story was brought to the stage by Rising Tide Theatre and has played for more than a dozen years.
His more recent books include the Christmas classic The House of Wooden Santas, and a history of Newfoundland and Labrador: As Near To Heaven By Sea (a Canadian best-seller and finalist for the Pearson Non-Fiction Prize). Ann and Seamus, a verse novel released in 2003 was shortlisted for a total of ten awards. It has since been turned into an opera. The adult novel New Under the Sun was published in 2010, book one of a trilogy of historical fiction. The second, Found Far and Wide, was released in 2016, and the third, Land Beyond the Sea, in 2019.
In 2018 Kevin started a projected serious of crime novels with One for the Rock. He anticipates the second will arrive in bookstores in the fall of 2020.
Kevin has been named Memorial University’s Alumnus-of-the-Year, and the Newfoundland and Labrador Arts Council’s Artist-of-the-Year .
John Moss, writing in “A Reader’s Guide to the Canadian Novel,” has said, “Kevin Major is among the best Canadian writers of his generation. He has established himself as a figure of singular importance in our literature.”
He lives in St. John’s, NL with his wife Anne. They have two grown sons.
In 1992 Kevin was given the Vicky Metcalf Award, for an outstanding body of work of significance to young people. The languages into which his work has been translated include French, Danish, German, Spanish, Portuguese, and Hebrew.
An adult novel, No Man’s Land, about the Newfoundland Regiment in World War I, was published in 1995 to much acclaim. Kevin’s adaption of the story was brought to the stage by Rising Tide Theatre and has played for more than a dozen years.
His more recent books include the Christmas classic The House of Wooden Santas, and a history of Newfoundland and Labrador: As Near To Heaven By Sea (a Canadian best-seller and finalist for the Pearson Non-Fiction Prize). Ann and Seamus, a verse novel released in 2003 was shortlisted for a total of ten awards. It has since been turned into an opera. The adult novel New Under the Sun was published in 2010, book one of a trilogy of historical fiction. The second, Found Far and Wide, was released in 2016, and the third, Land Beyond the Sea, in 2019.
In 2018 Kevin started a projected serious of crime novels with One for the Rock. He anticipates the second will arrive in bookstores in the fall of 2020.
Kevin has been named Memorial University’s Alumnus-of-the-Year, and the Newfoundland and Labrador Arts Council’s Artist-of-the-Year .
John Moss, writing in “A Reader’s Guide to the Canadian Novel,” has said, “Kevin Major is among the best Canadian writers of his generation. He has established himself as a figure of singular importance in our literature.”
He lives in St. John’s, NL with his wife Anne. They have two grown sons.
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October 16, 2025I'd hoped that the Sebastian Synard books would give me another Canadian crime series to follow. I also wanted to use it for the Mysterious Mountains square in this year's Halloween Bingo. Sadly, neither of those things worked out. Some of that is down to the book. A lot of it is down to my intolerance for men like Sebastian Synard.
The first two chapters of the book, spent establishing Sebastian Synard's background (ex-teacher forced to resign for the way he treated a misbehaving child), character (irascible, self-pitying, self-indulgent), family situation (divorced and unhappy about it. Trying to connect with his teenage son but not sure how to do it), his passions (whiskey, food, local history) and his occupation (running a tour guide business leading small parties around Newfoundland), didn't work well for me.
I thought I could see what Kevin Major was trying to do, but I didn't like how he did it. The story was told from Sebastian's point of view, which could have been fine, but his internal monologue was delivered in a brusque staccato that I found disjointed to the point of being annoying. It didn't help that I found Sebastian hard to like. He came across as smug, complacent and a bit up himself.
I read on because the first body had just been discovered, and I thought things would pick up as the investigation got underway.
The writing did get better, or at least, less disjointed, but by the twenty-five per cent mark, I had made my mind up to set the book aside. I was reluctant to do this so early because it meant I couldn't use the book to claim a Halloween Bingo square, but I just couldn't bring myself to spend more time with Sebastian Synard. The man pressed too many of my buttons. I'm disdainful of his passions, his attitude to women, his inability to control his anger and his complete lack of introspection. That probably means he's well-written. It also meant that when he was stupid enough to hang on to the dead man's iPhone and, when the police asked him about it, deny all knowledge of it, I'd had enough of him. Hard to like was bad enough. Hard to like, beligerant and stupid was impossible to put up with. I set the book aside.
The first two chapters of the book, spent establishing Sebastian Synard's background (ex-teacher forced to resign for the way he treated a misbehaving child), character (irascible, self-pitying, self-indulgent), family situation (divorced and unhappy about it. Trying to connect with his teenage son but not sure how to do it), his passions (whiskey, food, local history) and his occupation (running a tour guide business leading small parties around Newfoundland), didn't work well for me.
I thought I could see what Kevin Major was trying to do, but I didn't like how he did it. The story was told from Sebastian's point of view, which could have been fine, but his internal monologue was delivered in a brusque staccato that I found disjointed to the point of being annoying. It didn't help that I found Sebastian hard to like. He came across as smug, complacent and a bit up himself.
I read on because the first body had just been discovered, and I thought things would pick up as the investigation got underway.
The writing did get better, or at least, less disjointed, but by the twenty-five per cent mark, I had made my mind up to set the book aside. I was reluctant to do this so early because it meant I couldn't use the book to claim a Halloween Bingo square, but I just couldn't bring myself to spend more time with Sebastian Synard. The man pressed too many of my buttons. I'm disdainful of his passions, his attitude to women, his inability to control his anger and his complete lack of introspection. That probably means he's well-written. It also meant that when he was stupid enough to hang on to the dead man's iPhone and, when the police asked him about it, deny all knowledge of it, I'd had enough of him. Hard to like was bad enough. Hard to like, beligerant and stupid was impossible to put up with. I set the book aside.
January 14, 2019
As a St. John’s native I really enjoyed this book. Being familiar with the locations named in the book really added a layer of authenticity to the story that really drew me in. It was almost a bit too colloquial at times, but it was a good story and one I would definitely recommend.
July 25, 2025
★★★ 1/2
Summer Reading: Murder Across Canada
Province/Territory: Newfoundland and Labrador
For the first twenty pages or so, I wasn't sure this novel was going to be for me. Sebastian Synard is an acerbic ex-teacher who has started his own business leading tours around St. John's, NF. The story is told in first person from Sebastian's perspective, his dialogue is quite staccato at times and it often reads like he doesn't finish a sentence.
Once I hit about page 50 however, the mystery engaged me and the descriptions of St. John's were amazing. It made me immediately want to hop on a plane and head East! I also loved the scenes with Sebastian's son Nick. They're both still finding their way in their relationship now that Sebastian and Nick's mother are divorced.
Sebastian also runs a blog dedicated to whiskey and books. He picks a book and matches a whiskey to it. In this installment, the book is a Dashiell Hammett mystery. Sebastian takes on the "hard boiled" detective personality as he gets embroiled in a mystery surrounding one of his tour members.
I enjoyed the setting and the characters and will be continuing with the series.
Summer Reading: Murder Across Canada
Province/Territory: Newfoundland and Labrador
For the first twenty pages or so, I wasn't sure this novel was going to be for me. Sebastian Synard is an acerbic ex-teacher who has started his own business leading tours around St. John's, NF. The story is told in first person from Sebastian's perspective, his dialogue is quite staccato at times and it often reads like he doesn't finish a sentence.
Once I hit about page 50 however, the mystery engaged me and the descriptions of St. John's were amazing. It made me immediately want to hop on a plane and head East! I also loved the scenes with Sebastian's son Nick. They're both still finding their way in their relationship now that Sebastian and Nick's mother are divorced.
Sebastian also runs a blog dedicated to whiskey and books. He picks a book and matches a whiskey to it. In this installment, the book is a Dashiell Hammett mystery. Sebastian takes on the "hard boiled" detective personality as he gets embroiled in a mystery surrounding one of his tour members.
I enjoyed the setting and the characters and will be continuing with the series.
March 24, 2021
I stumbled upon this book. Its been a while since I read a book that beckoned me back like a warm blanket on a cold night. There's nothing earthshaking about this book, but it scores big with me on setting, character, humour and simple good storytelling. The main character is someone I enjoyed getting to know and spending time with. I like mysteries that aren't afraid to spend quality personal time with the main character - be it drinking scotch or spending time with his dog or one-liners that convey sometimes heart-achingly how much he cares about his son. Although some of the bad guys were a little one dimensional or over-the-top, its made up for by other characters who are not who we expect them to be (Ivo) or whose relationship to the main character is more complicated (and real) than you find in many other novels.
As a Saskatchewan writer who often writes about Saskatchewan, I enjoy an author who clearly loves the atypical setting he is writing about, and puts the weather to good use.
I immediately bought the next in the series.
As a Saskatchewan writer who often writes about Saskatchewan, I enjoy an author who clearly loves the atypical setting he is writing about, and puts the weather to good use.
I immediately bought the next in the series.
August 3, 2023
Sebastian Synard hat nach einem Disziplinarverfahren wegen Gewalt gegen einen Schüler seine Lehrerstelle gekündigt und in St. John/Neufundland ein Ein-Mann-Reiseunternehmen gegründet. Er bietet All-Inclusive-Wandertouren an und glänzt dabei mit seinem profunden Wissen als Whiskyblogger. Als einer seiner Teilnehmer an der schroffen Küste tödlich verunglückt, stellt sich die Frage: Unfall oder Absicht; denn normalerweise stürzte auf dem Küstenwanderweg niemand ab. Aber warum hat der betagte „Graham“ vor der imposanten Kulisse praktisch jede Minute am Handy verbracht? Ausgerechnet Ermittlungsleiter Frederik Olsen, der neue Lover seiner Exfrau Samantha, verlangt von Sebastian, sich in der Reisegruppe nach möglichen Motiven umzuhören. Olsen hatte offenbar den richtigen Riecher, denn Graham ist nicht der einzige Teilnehmer, der nicht der ist, der er zu sein vorgibt.
Der Regionalkrimi-Anteil in Kevin Majors Serienauftakt wird hauptsächlich durch das Aufzählen von Sehenswürdigkeiten und Geschichtsdaten abgehakt. Einigen Raum in Sebastians Alltag nimmt der Sorgerechtskonflikt um Sohn Nicholas ein, der theoretisch längst juristisch geklärt ist. Spontan beim Frühstück zu beschließen, dass er sich heute um einen Hund aus dem Tierheim bewerben wird, scheint in dieser Situation die schlechteste Lösung zu sein. Ins Bild eines Laienermittlers, der mit knapp 50 wirkt, als sei er in der Pubertät steckengeblieben, passt Sebastians sprunghaftes Handeln jedoch. Ein knorriger Typ, der kein Blatt vor den Mund nimmt, schön und gut; Sebastian wirkt auf mich jedoch wie ein plumper Macho, der kein Fettnäpfchen auslässt. Auch wenn der Schauplatz Neufundland mich interessiert, konnten mich weder der Fall, die Ermittlerperson, noch die Entscheidung für einen Icherzähler fesseln.
Der Regionalkrimi-Anteil in Kevin Majors Serienauftakt wird hauptsächlich durch das Aufzählen von Sehenswürdigkeiten und Geschichtsdaten abgehakt. Einigen Raum in Sebastians Alltag nimmt der Sorgerechtskonflikt um Sohn Nicholas ein, der theoretisch längst juristisch geklärt ist. Spontan beim Frühstück zu beschließen, dass er sich heute um einen Hund aus dem Tierheim bewerben wird, scheint in dieser Situation die schlechteste Lösung zu sein. Ins Bild eines Laienermittlers, der mit knapp 50 wirkt, als sei er in der Pubertät steckengeblieben, passt Sebastians sprunghaftes Handeln jedoch. Ein knorriger Typ, der kein Blatt vor den Mund nimmt, schön und gut; Sebastian wirkt auf mich jedoch wie ein plumper Macho, der kein Fettnäpfchen auslässt. Auch wenn der Schauplatz Neufundland mich interessiert, konnten mich weder der Fall, die Ermittlerperson, noch die Entscheidung für einen Icherzähler fesseln.
May 14, 2018
Since two stars mean "It was OK" and three means "I Liked It", I will stick to two. I almost didn't finish the book, which is relatively short enough to be a novella. It deals with Sebastien Synard, an ex-teacher and ex-husband who starts his own business of small guided tours around St.John's. He likes Scotch, as we are often reminded throughout the book, which tries to emulate the hard-boiled detective style of Dashiell Hammett (Sebastien is actually reading The Thin Man in the book) but ends up being irritating rather than entertaining. Written in the first person, we are not spared from his sarcastic thoughts or remarks (and coarse language) and the only time he becomes remotely likeable is when he is with his twelve-year-old son Nick and his dog Gaffer (coincidentally the title of one of Mr. Major's earlier novels). I'm not even going to get into the storyline, for it gets lamer and less credible as the book progresses, even telegraphing plot twists at times. None of the characters are likeable (aside from Nick and Gaffer) and so it makes for a tough slog reading-wise. Bypass this one and read Hammett instead. Or try Maine author Gerry Boyle and his Jack McMorrow Mystery series for a current take on the hard-boiled investigator type. I highly recommended them for fans of the genre.
This book was all the more disappointing due to my enjoyment of Mr. Major's previous book Found Far and Wide which was a good read.
This book was all the more disappointing due to my enjoyment of Mr. Major's previous book Found Far and Wide which was a good read.
August 1, 2023
Der Titel ist eine Anspielung, genau so wie der ganze Krimis mit Wort Spielereien arbeitet. Ich kann mir vorstellen das, das im Englischen noch gelungener ist. Am Anfang ist wenig vom Krimi zu lesen dafür mehr diese Zweideutigkeiten. Es gefällt mir kann aber für den einen oder anderen zu viel sein. Genau so erging es mir mit den Beschreibungen der verschiedenen Whiskey Sorten. Ob torfig oder nicht. Das ist mir egal, ich möchte ihn nicht trinken oder endlos darüber lesen wie ihn andere trinken.
Das ist der Makel an diesem Buch, die Nebensächlichkeiten werden aufgebauscht, der eigentliche Fall kommt zu kurz. Wort Spielereien, Whiskey und eine detaillierte Ortsbeschreibung von Neufundland, einem Ort der eher ,ungewöhnlich für eine Urlaubsreise ist, mag ich auch nicht in einem Krimi lesen. Dafür gibt es Reiseführer. Das ist zwar der Job des ehemaligen Lehrers, der mit einer kurzen Zündschnur ausgestattet ist und eher zu Kurzschlusshandlungen neigt.
Der Krimi an sich erinnert etwas an Agatha Christie, er schafft es zwar nicht auf diese Ebene aber er ist zu mindestens angelehnt.
Im Ganzen wirken die Figuren etwas blass, keine die für mich herausragend war egal ob Ermittler, Täter oder Möchtegerndetektiv.
Das ist der Makel an diesem Buch, die Nebensächlichkeiten werden aufgebauscht, der eigentliche Fall kommt zu kurz. Wort Spielereien, Whiskey und eine detaillierte Ortsbeschreibung von Neufundland, einem Ort der eher ,ungewöhnlich für eine Urlaubsreise ist, mag ich auch nicht in einem Krimi lesen. Dafür gibt es Reiseführer. Das ist zwar der Job des ehemaligen Lehrers, der mit einer kurzen Zündschnur ausgestattet ist und eher zu Kurzschlusshandlungen neigt.
Der Krimi an sich erinnert etwas an Agatha Christie, er schafft es zwar nicht auf diese Ebene aber er ist zu mindestens angelehnt.
Im Ganzen wirken die Figuren etwas blass, keine die für mich herausragend war egal ob Ermittler, Täter oder Möchtegerndetektiv.
April 20, 2020
Great descriptions of St. John’s and the landscape and food scape. The story was a bit out there but it was a fun read
May 28, 2021
A love song to Newfoundland and it’s amazing scenery, as well as a great mystery. Really enjoyed it!
June 18, 2024
Unterer Durchschnitt, mehr nicht.
3/10
3/10
October 6, 2025
In one word: meh.
Somehow I had thought this book would be both more thrilling and more humorous. While I did have to smile a few times, most of the story left me feeling lukewarm and the characters stayed hardly anything but one-dimensional and unmemorable . (Except for the dog, lol.)
I think I am still going to read the rest of the series - or at least the second volume, since I took both of the first two from the library. If only for the charming descriptions of Newfoundland and because they aren’t exactly thick books.
Somehow I had thought this book would be both more thrilling and more humorous. While I did have to smile a few times, most of the story left me feeling lukewarm and the characters stayed hardly anything but one-dimensional and unmemorable . (Except for the dog, lol.)
I think I am still going to read the rest of the series - or at least the second volume, since I took both of the first two from the library. If only for the charming descriptions of Newfoundland and because they aren’t exactly thick books.
March 29, 2022
A well-written Canadian mystery novel that combines an engaging amateur detective who is trying to make a living as tour guide, a great cast of suspects, and an unfortunate victim. What makes this a great selection for my "Read Across Canada mysteries" is the sense of place; it makes me want to sign up for a vacation in St. John's, Newfoundland. Highly recommended and looking forward to the next in this series!
January 3, 2020
The one star is because there's hope to make this story better than what it was; and it was disappointing at best. A quick read but I lost interest many times and it ended up being a purse book for appointments and waiting for people. Definitely believe it could have been developed more to give it more depth.
July 28, 2019
This is an easy read and a quick read. Not too heavy or deep but entertaining. I like the concept of being taken on a tour of St John’s NL, a place I have been many years ago. I like Major’s sense of humour as well as his turn of phrase.
February 10, 2020
It was okay. I found it was referring to Newfoundland so much it became annoying. The story itself was a bit confusing at times and a bit unrealistic.
July 22, 2024
Boring and not well written 😬 I was really hoping it would be good.
February 5, 2023
tl:dr Decent enough story buried in a tourism brochure.
So, I'm from Newfoundland. And I've lived in St. John's. I wanted to read a mystery series set here because I enjoy the settings of so many other mystery novels, and when I lived in Montreal I enjoyed reading books set there, so I thought it would be neat to read one set here. This also seems like it's got some real potential as a mystery series setting. We've got this real strong sense of place in Newfoundland & Labrador, and it inspires a lot of art, but it can also hinder that art as the province itself does have a tendancy to become the main character instead of just the setting.
I had braced myself for some of this when I saw the protagonist was a tour guide, but tourism is a really big industry here. It makes sense for the protagonist to be a tour guide. It also makes it easier to have unknown characters in the story. Everyone knows everyone here.
Unfortunately, Kevin Major used it as an excuse to name drop every single tourist attraction in town, and half the bars and restaurants. It's like he sat down and made a big list and made sure to include one every three paragraphs. Was the writing of this book funded by the department of tourism? Did the restaurants and cafés sponsor him? There is no subtlety whatsoever. I'm convinced he could have done this with a much much defter hand. He could have made up some restaurants. There's also a lot of name dropping of scotch. Maybe he got some of them to pitch in to fund the writing process too.
It's fun when authors include real things in their stories. I know I like to travel and see the places where books I've read are set, and it is neat when there's a real bar or a real store, but it's so heavy handed here.
When he started listing one by one every bar they were walking past on George Street, I wondered if each book in this series will be set in a different tourist destination in the province. Sure enough, when I finished this one Overdrive asked if I'd like to read book two which by the title must be set in the national park on the west coast.
I did enjoy the story and the characters. It was a nice stormy afternoon read and engaging enough to keep the pages turning. (I read it in one sitting.) I think I will give the second book a try. The first in a series always has some bumps. It should at least give me ideas about places to eat next time I visit Gros Morne.
So, I'm from Newfoundland. And I've lived in St. John's. I wanted to read a mystery series set here because I enjoy the settings of so many other mystery novels, and when I lived in Montreal I enjoyed reading books set there, so I thought it would be neat to read one set here. This also seems like it's got some real potential as a mystery series setting. We've got this real strong sense of place in Newfoundland & Labrador, and it inspires a lot of art, but it can also hinder that art as the province itself does have a tendancy to become the main character instead of just the setting.
I had braced myself for some of this when I saw the protagonist was a tour guide, but tourism is a really big industry here. It makes sense for the protagonist to be a tour guide. It also makes it easier to have unknown characters in the story. Everyone knows everyone here.
Unfortunately, Kevin Major used it as an excuse to name drop every single tourist attraction in town, and half the bars and restaurants. It's like he sat down and made a big list and made sure to include one every three paragraphs. Was the writing of this book funded by the department of tourism? Did the restaurants and cafés sponsor him? There is no subtlety whatsoever. I'm convinced he could have done this with a much much defter hand. He could have made up some restaurants. There's also a lot of name dropping of scotch. Maybe he got some of them to pitch in to fund the writing process too.
It's fun when authors include real things in their stories. I know I like to travel and see the places where books I've read are set, and it is neat when there's a real bar or a real store, but it's so heavy handed here.
When he started listing one by one every bar they were walking past on George Street, I wondered if each book in this series will be set in a different tourist destination in the province. Sure enough, when I finished this one Overdrive asked if I'd like to read book two which by the title must be set in the national park on the west coast.
I did enjoy the story and the characters. It was a nice stormy afternoon read and engaging enough to keep the pages turning. (I read it in one sitting.) I think I will give the second book a try. The first in a series always has some bumps. It should at least give me ideas about places to eat next time I visit Gros Morne.
September 29, 2023
Diesen Neufundland-Krimi von Kevin Major würde ich weniger als Krimi denn als Roman bezeichnen. Er passt nicht ganz in das klassische Krimigenre, obwohl es nicht an verbrecherischen Momenten mangelt.
Sebastian wurde von seiner Frau verlassen, weshalb er einen Neuanfang benötigt und diesen gerade absolviert, denn er hat ein Tourismusunternehmen gegründet. Basierend auf seinem großen Leidenschaften Whisky, Bücher und seine Heimat Neufundland bietet er Wandertouren an. Er hat ein wunderbares Programm zusammengestellt und dafür Werbung gemacht. Nun sind die ersten Gäste angereist und die erste Tour kann beginnen.
Doch dann passiert, womit keiner gerechnet hat. Der wohl unsympathischste Teilnehmer, weil er unentwegt auf sein Handy starrt und sich kaum mit den anderen unterhält, stürzt einen Abhang die Küste hinunter.
Zunächst denken alle, auch Sebastian, dass der Mann unaufmerksam war und einen Fehltritt tat. Doch dann kommen Zweifel auf.
Was diesen Roman weniger zu einem Krimi werden lässt, ist die Erzählweise, die Kevin Major hierfür gewählt hat. Sie ist einfach amüsant und nie langweilig. Die Ermittlungen treten komplett in den Hintergrund.
Es ist ein lockerer Plauderton, den Kevin Major seinem Erzähler in den Mund legt. Sebastian selbst erzählt aus seinem Leben. Erzählt von sich, von seiner Trennung von der Ex, vom Zusammensein mit seinem Sohn und von dem Hund, den sich dieser so sehr gewünscht hat.
So sehr Sebastian sein Sohn als Kumpel bezeichnet, so sehr hat man auch als Leser das Gefühl, man wäre der Kumpel von Sebastian. Kumpel scheint die große Eigenschaft des Protagonisten zu sein, denn aus der Abneigung für den neuen Mann seiner Ex kann gar nichts anderes erwachsen als ein neuer Kumpel.
Der Fall um den toten Teilnehmer der Wandertour wird bei all der Plauderei fast nebenbei geklärt. Und natürlich bleibt es nicht bei diesem einen Toten. Selbst Sebastian ist als Helfer der Polizei nicht vor weiteren Mordversuchen geschützt.
Es sind skurrile Figuren, auf die die Leser in diesem Roman treffen. Sympathisch sind nicht alle. Auf Überraschungen sollte man gefasst sein, denn was anfangs so locker aussieht, stellt sich da dann am Ende ganz anders dar.
Mir hat dieser Roman aus Neufundland sehr gut gefallen. Ich hatte ein kleines Wiedererleben mit einem Landstrich, den ich vor fast einem halben Jahrhundert besucht hatte.
© Detlef Knut, Düsseldorf 2023
Sebastian wurde von seiner Frau verlassen, weshalb er einen Neuanfang benötigt und diesen gerade absolviert, denn er hat ein Tourismusunternehmen gegründet. Basierend auf seinem großen Leidenschaften Whisky, Bücher und seine Heimat Neufundland bietet er Wandertouren an. Er hat ein wunderbares Programm zusammengestellt und dafür Werbung gemacht. Nun sind die ersten Gäste angereist und die erste Tour kann beginnen.
Doch dann passiert, womit keiner gerechnet hat. Der wohl unsympathischste Teilnehmer, weil er unentwegt auf sein Handy starrt und sich kaum mit den anderen unterhält, stürzt einen Abhang die Küste hinunter.
Zunächst denken alle, auch Sebastian, dass der Mann unaufmerksam war und einen Fehltritt tat. Doch dann kommen Zweifel auf.
Was diesen Roman weniger zu einem Krimi werden lässt, ist die Erzählweise, die Kevin Major hierfür gewählt hat. Sie ist einfach amüsant und nie langweilig. Die Ermittlungen treten komplett in den Hintergrund.
Es ist ein lockerer Plauderton, den Kevin Major seinem Erzähler in den Mund legt. Sebastian selbst erzählt aus seinem Leben. Erzählt von sich, von seiner Trennung von der Ex, vom Zusammensein mit seinem Sohn und von dem Hund, den sich dieser so sehr gewünscht hat.
So sehr Sebastian sein Sohn als Kumpel bezeichnet, so sehr hat man auch als Leser das Gefühl, man wäre der Kumpel von Sebastian. Kumpel scheint die große Eigenschaft des Protagonisten zu sein, denn aus der Abneigung für den neuen Mann seiner Ex kann gar nichts anderes erwachsen als ein neuer Kumpel.
Der Fall um den toten Teilnehmer der Wandertour wird bei all der Plauderei fast nebenbei geklärt. Und natürlich bleibt es nicht bei diesem einen Toten. Selbst Sebastian ist als Helfer der Polizei nicht vor weiteren Mordversuchen geschützt.
Es sind skurrile Figuren, auf die die Leser in diesem Roman treffen. Sympathisch sind nicht alle. Auf Überraschungen sollte man gefasst sein, denn was anfangs so locker aussieht, stellt sich da dann am Ende ganz anders dar.
Mir hat dieser Roman aus Neufundland sehr gut gefallen. Ich hatte ein kleines Wiedererleben mit einem Landstrich, den ich vor fast einem halben Jahrhundert besucht hatte.
© Detlef Knut, Düsseldorf 2023
August 4, 2023
Neufundland – Wo ist das nochmal? "One for the Rock" von Kevin Major spielt in der atemberaubenden Landschaft dieser Insel im Nordosten Kanadas, die für den Kriminalroman als fesselnder Schauplatz dient. Hier agiert die Hauptfigur Sebastian Synard, geschieden und gescheiterter Lehrer, der sich als Reiseführer in dieser zauberhaften Natur versucht. Doch die idyllische Atmosphäre wird gleich zu Beginn durch einen Mord erschüttert, der die bunte Reisegruppe in Aufruhr versetzt. Wenn der leitende Polizist nicht ausgerechnet der neue Lover seiner Exfrau Samantha wäre, hätte Sebastian vielleicht die Finger davon gelassen, auf eigene Faust zu ermitteln. Naja, die Sache wird schon gutgehen!
Anfangs noch eher unsympathisch dargestellt, entwickelt sich Synard im Verlauf der Handlung zu einem richtig guten Vater und beweist zudem überraschendes kriminologisches Talent. Sein schräger Humor begleitet ihn dabei beständig. Dieser wird vor allem durch die immer wieder eingeblendete Gedankenrede vermittelt, die gleichzeitig Einblick in seine Innenwelt gewährt. Nicht zu vergessen ist seine Liebe zu Whisky und Scotch, die als roter Faden kontinuierlich thematisiert wird. Sebastian trinkt nicht nur voller Genuss, sondern betreibt auch einen Blog über sein Lieblingsgetränk, der vielleicht nicht übermäßig erfolgreich ist, ihm aber am Ende sogar das Leben rettet.
Der Krimi ist insgesamt nicht nur unterhaltsam und wirklich spannend, sondern vermittelt auch einen faszinierenden Eindruck von dieser eher unbekannten Insel, sodass man selbst Lust bekommt, dorthin zu reisen. Dieser erste Band bietet zudem viel Potenzial für weitere Ermittlungen von Sebastian Synard.
Anfangs noch eher unsympathisch dargestellt, entwickelt sich Synard im Verlauf der Handlung zu einem richtig guten Vater und beweist zudem überraschendes kriminologisches Talent. Sein schräger Humor begleitet ihn dabei beständig. Dieser wird vor allem durch die immer wieder eingeblendete Gedankenrede vermittelt, die gleichzeitig Einblick in seine Innenwelt gewährt. Nicht zu vergessen ist seine Liebe zu Whisky und Scotch, die als roter Faden kontinuierlich thematisiert wird. Sebastian trinkt nicht nur voller Genuss, sondern betreibt auch einen Blog über sein Lieblingsgetränk, der vielleicht nicht übermäßig erfolgreich ist, ihm aber am Ende sogar das Leben rettet.
Der Krimi ist insgesamt nicht nur unterhaltsam und wirklich spannend, sondern vermittelt auch einen faszinierenden Eindruck von dieser eher unbekannten Insel, sodass man selbst Lust bekommt, dorthin zu reisen. Dieser erste Band bietet zudem viel Potenzial für weitere Ermittlungen von Sebastian Synard.
July 29, 2025
Review for the entire series: I kept seeing these in gift shops in St. John's, NFL, on our trip, so I finally decided to just buy them all and see what they were like. Now that I've read them all, I have to say, these are a great way to introduce someone to Newfoundland's iconic tourist and historical sites through fiction. I really wish all the places I visited had this kind of fun mystery series to help you "visit" a place. We had already visited most of the places in the first book and some in the fifth book, so it was fun to revisit them through these stories. My only problem was the language. It wasn't on every page, but there was enough that it was a turn-off for me, and I can't recommend them to everyone the way I would otherwise. In book 1, for instance, chapter 1 has a lot of language, but when I got to chapter 2 and beyond, the offensive word was gone and only made one or two more appearances toward the end of the book. The next few books had less than that. Book 5 had almost none, so perhaps the author learned that he didn't need it for a good story. There were some other things I didn't like (modern books always seem to have allusions to things I'd rather they didn't), but it wasn't bad enough to put me off reading them.
One for the Rock (The Sebastian Synard Mysteries Book 1) by Kevin Major (2025 Book 111)
⭐️⭐️⭐️ 7/22-23
Great intro to the series with good character development. Sebastian Synard is complicated and unlikable at first, but he grew on me. The mystery was predictable, but it was still good to see it play out. The main reason to read these is for the visit to St. John's.
One for the Rock (The Sebastian Synard Mysteries Book 1) by Kevin Major (2025 Book 111)
⭐️⭐️⭐️ 7/22-23
Great intro to the series with good character development. Sebastian Synard is complicated and unlikable at first, but he grew on me. The mystery was predictable, but it was still good to see it play out. The main reason to read these is for the visit to St. John's.
August 20, 2023
Das Cover des Buches ist für mich sehr ansprechend. Der Titel hat mich neugierig auf die Geschichte gemacht und das Bild ist passend zu Handlung
. Der Hauptcharakter dieser Geschichte ist Sebastian Synard, er lebt und arbeitet in Neufundland, dort betreibt er das Tourismusunternehmen "On the Rock(s)". Er ist sehr zufrieden mit seinem Leben, er hat eines seiner Hobbys zum Beruf gemacht, er bietet exklusive Touren über die Insel an. Sebastian plant bereits seine nächste Saison da passiert etwas Fürchterliches. Gleich zu Anfang seiner neuen Wandertour stürzt ein Teilnehmern von den Klippen und ist tot. Ein weiterer Charakter ist Inspektor Olson, er ist es auch, der Sebastian und Hilfe bittet. Dieser ermittelt und gerät dabei in die Schusslinie des Täters, Sebastian ist auch in Lebensgefahr, wird er es schaffen den Täter rechtzeitig zu überführen?
Der Schreibstil ist wirklich toll und spannend, die Handlung ist durchweg interessant und unterhaltsam. Die Ortsbeschreibungen sind sehr detailliert und ich konnte mir die Natur von Neufundland und den Orten gut vorstellen. Die Kapitel haben eine tolle Länge und ich konnte der Handlung sehr gut folgen. Es war bis zum Schluss spannend. Die Dialoge der Charaktere haben mir auch gut gefallen. Ich empfehle das Buch auf jeden Fall weiter und bin jetzt schon auf den weiteren Band gespannt.
. Der Hauptcharakter dieser Geschichte ist Sebastian Synard, er lebt und arbeitet in Neufundland, dort betreibt er das Tourismusunternehmen "On the Rock(s)". Er ist sehr zufrieden mit seinem Leben, er hat eines seiner Hobbys zum Beruf gemacht, er bietet exklusive Touren über die Insel an. Sebastian plant bereits seine nächste Saison da passiert etwas Fürchterliches. Gleich zu Anfang seiner neuen Wandertour stürzt ein Teilnehmern von den Klippen und ist tot. Ein weiterer Charakter ist Inspektor Olson, er ist es auch, der Sebastian und Hilfe bittet. Dieser ermittelt und gerät dabei in die Schusslinie des Täters, Sebastian ist auch in Lebensgefahr, wird er es schaffen den Täter rechtzeitig zu überführen?
Der Schreibstil ist wirklich toll und spannend, die Handlung ist durchweg interessant und unterhaltsam. Die Ortsbeschreibungen sind sehr detailliert und ich konnte mir die Natur von Neufundland und den Orten gut vorstellen. Die Kapitel haben eine tolle Länge und ich konnte der Handlung sehr gut folgen. Es war bis zum Schluss spannend. Die Dialoge der Charaktere haben mir auch gut gefallen. Ich empfehle das Buch auf jeden Fall weiter und bin jetzt schon auf den weiteren Band gespannt.
February 22, 2024
I enjoyed it and I didn’t…bad start to a review but there it is. I started it in August. Didn’t finish it, and had to go back to it. It nagged at me that I didn’t know who the killer was. I liked the story and I enjoyed the characters but something held me back from loving it. Like the protagonist I am roughly the same age teach the same subjects, just never had to give up teaching. I also have a deep love of Newfoundland history and could relate to the background information. I love how the author writes. His style of writing is something I’ve always appreciated. I have read a lot of his books. I still treasure my signed copy of As near to heaven, it’s just his writing here feels clipped. Not choppy, just restricted in some way.
This series has the potential to create a series like Midsomer Murders just set in Newfoundland. I’m going to give book two a try, hopefully my inability to articulate what I struggled with in this book is not present in the next one.
This series has the potential to create a series like Midsomer Murders just set in Newfoundland. I’m going to give book two a try, hopefully my inability to articulate what I struggled with in this book is not present in the next one.
April 15, 2019
I really enjoyed reading this fun and folksy book. I loved the humour, the closeness of the father/son relationship, the divorced bickering and that in spite of the divorce Samantha comes through when Sebastian is incapacitated. I especially enjoyed the location and this could be used as kind of a travel book as it introduces the reader to so many hiking trails, points of interest and restaurants around St. John's. Sebastian Synard has a sense of humor most people fail to see. This is well understood when he admits he's a big fan of Monty Python. The fact that he wrote the whiskey blog "Distill my Reading Heart" was an interesting secondary theme.
My only disappointment was that the plot seemed to drift off at the end of the book, almost as though the author was tired of writing. I don't think the main characters should have flown away before the case was settled.
My only disappointment was that the plot seemed to drift off at the end of the book, almost as though the author was tired of writing. I don't think the main characters should have flown away before the case was settled.
January 9, 2023
Huge disappointment here from the usually reliable Kevin Major, purveyor/writer of some of Canada’s best YA fiction. Here Major turns his hand to detective fiction set in his native St. John’s NF, and really the star of this book is the Avalon peninsula and the fabulous city of St. John’s with its dramatic geography, history and culture. Sebastian Seynard - failed teacher and tourist tour operator - morphs into a PI when one of his clients dies in suspicious circumstances while on a hike on Signal Hill. Events ensue. “One for the Rock” is an entertaining travelogue, but it is an exceedingly lame mystery. What saves this read is that Major is a breezy, witty writer who freely explores the contradictions of contemporary NF, and his very obvious love of the city of St. John’s.
October 15, 2024
Sebastian, a teacher who has already found himself in hot water after pushing a student has quit his job and started a tourism company. He's just starting to get his life back on track when a client "falls" to his death during the Signal Hill walk portion of the tour. The police officer assigned to the case is sleeping with Sebastian's ex wife. As Sebastian collaborates with officer Olsen to uncover the killer, he finds himself getting deeper in trouble. So deep he jumps off the edge of a cliff.
One of my favorite parts of reading local authors is reading about familiar landmarks throughout town. This book was quite enjoyable and an easy read as you follow Sebastian on his tour through local restaurants, bars, and historic landmarks from St. John's to Maddox Cove.
One of my favorite parts of reading local authors is reading about familiar landmarks throughout town. This book was quite enjoyable and an easy read as you follow Sebastian on his tour through local restaurants, bars, and historic landmarks from St. John's to Maddox Cove.
November 22, 2019
Here is what I liked:
The characters Nick, Gaffer and Sebastian. Really likeable.
I liked how my home, St John's played a great character in the book as well.
Major surprised me as the only other book I read by him was No Mans Land and it was a mandatory read in high school that I didn't enjoy.
This was a quick read, predictable and funny.
What I didnt like: the loose ends were tied up too neatly .
Olsen was the stereotypical stupid cop as seen in all these types of books
The language. The corse language did nothing to enhance the book.
The characters Nick, Gaffer and Sebastian. Really likeable.
I liked how my home, St John's played a great character in the book as well.
Major surprised me as the only other book I read by him was No Mans Land and it was a mandatory read in high school that I didn't enjoy.
This was a quick read, predictable and funny.
What I didnt like: the loose ends were tied up too neatly .
Olsen was the stereotypical stupid cop as seen in all these types of books
The language. The corse language did nothing to enhance the book.
September 29, 2020
Sebastian Synard runs a tour company in Newfoundland called On the Rock(s). One day, while leading a group of tourists along the cliffs of St. John's harbour, one of them falls to his death. Accident? Suicide? or murder? When the investigative RNC lead, who also happens to be sleeping with Sebastian's ex-wife, enlists his help in flushing out a murderer, Sebastian finds himself in a dangerous situation. The setting of St. John's is brought vividly to life and the maincharacters are appealing.
December 24, 2018
Great to read a mystery set in the incredible city of St. John's NL. The author treats the reader to a murder, an attempted murder and an accident all taking place in some of the famous sites around the city- fun for the reader like me who visited St. John's before. Nice mix of humour and danger and mystery.
I read a youth novel by Major more than 30 years ago- this one felt like something between a youth and an adult novel.
Fun book.
I read a youth novel by Major more than 30 years ago- this one felt like something between a youth and an adult novel.
Fun book.
February 15, 2020
Halfway through the book and still not into the story, I figured I'd end up giving this 2 stars. I just couldn't vibe with the main character, and the author's placement of exclamation marks kept throwing me off, haha. The second half, though, grabbed my attention and I got into it. Also, the story takes place in my favourite city (St. John's), and I loved all the familiar landmarks, streets, and eating establishments.
August 30, 2025
Meh! This is more of a two star book. I was looking forward to trying a Canadian author new to me and was disappointed. The best part of this book is the descriptions of Newfoundland and St. John’s. I was tempted to take notes for a possible trip. Otherwise, I found the main character adolescent in his attitudes, pretentious, and dismissive. The plot was nothing to write home about, and I guessed the outcome about halfway through. The last part was totally confusing.
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