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Rusty Macduff #2
The Man With No Face
Rusty Macduff, private detective, learnt his trade in London when Victoria was on the throne and the first consulting detectives were on the streets, hunting down the sort of criminal who seemed to have stepped from the pages of a halfpenny comic. Now he’s stuck in the country with a war wound, only able to take on the cases everyone else turns down. A man has been found murdered in a locked alleyway in an ordinary market town. The criminals of old London were bad but tended to leave a trail of clues. A criminal like the one he is now dealing with didn’t even have the decency to leave the clue of a relatively intact victim. But a niche is a niche. Rusty has a whole range of techniques to get him through this sort of case – and he’ll need them and more. Something very bad is happening in a town where nothing is as it seems – and Rusty might not have long before the killer strikes again… Driven by a love of golden age mystery books and 1920s spy fiction, THE MAN WITH NO FACE sees a country town detective take on the world of espionage on Guy Fawkes Night. Enjoyed by fans of humorous crime fiction and hard-boiled detectives – and those who like their crime quirky!
234 pages, Paperback
Published September 11, 2020
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Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews
September 16, 2020
“Oh what a tangled web we weave” (I’m sure Walter Scott will allow me to borrow his wonderful words).
And can our intrepid Rusty unweave the tangled web to reveal not just the killer, but the victim ?
In this novel, Private Detective, Rusty Macduff, is hired by a company that owns a number of shops in a little mews in the Surrey Town of Farnham, England. A man has been brutally murdered in the entrance way to their mews and no-one seems to have any idea who the victim is. Living close by in the the picturesque village of Frensham (great ponds) , he is quick on the scene. Unfortunately he does not create a great impression with the people who have hired him, when he faints at the sight of the body, not a good start. However he is soon scuttling around the bars and pubs in this military town, with a view to finding out who is the victim.
I am not going to spoil the book for future readers, but suffice to say it is in the tradition of the Golden Age Detectives, with Rusty fast becoming a name to reckon with, not someone to just call in for the more, shall we say unusual cases.
This is now the fourth Rusty story I have read, and I have to say they have all been thoroughly enjoyable; well written, fast paced, witty and funny ( the part where Rusty is accused of selling his own underwear on the street !). In addition I would say that CAW Parker is now getting into their stride; the dialogue is getting even sharper, the situations are more realistic/enjoyable, the character of Rusty is now filling out as we learn more about him (his life, his friends (the flamboyant Eddie Benson), his beliefs, his home) and I believe
Finally I would just like to thank CAW Parker for a pre-release copy of this book for me to read (thoroughly enjoy) and review with no obligation to write a stonking (British word for excellent) review.
And can our intrepid Rusty unweave the tangled web to reveal not just the killer, but the victim ?
In this novel, Private Detective, Rusty Macduff, is hired by a company that owns a number of shops in a little mews in the Surrey Town of Farnham, England. A man has been brutally murdered in the entrance way to their mews and no-one seems to have any idea who the victim is. Living close by in the the picturesque village of Frensham (great ponds) , he is quick on the scene. Unfortunately he does not create a great impression with the people who have hired him, when he faints at the sight of the body, not a good start. However he is soon scuttling around the bars and pubs in this military town, with a view to finding out who is the victim.
I am not going to spoil the book for future readers, but suffice to say it is in the tradition of the Golden Age Detectives, with Rusty fast becoming a name to reckon with, not someone to just call in for the more, shall we say unusual cases.
This is now the fourth Rusty story I have read, and I have to say they have all been thoroughly enjoyable; well written, fast paced, witty and funny ( the part where Rusty is accused of selling his own underwear on the street !). In addition I would say that CAW Parker is now getting into their stride; the dialogue is getting even sharper, the situations are more realistic/enjoyable, the character of Rusty is now filling out as we learn more about him (his life, his friends (the flamboyant Eddie Benson), his beliefs, his home) and I believe
Finally I would just like to thank CAW Parker for a pre-release copy of this book for me to read (thoroughly enjoy) and review with no obligation to write a stonking (British word for excellent) review.
August 6, 2021
Another great book in the Rusty Macduff series. I was very confused by the ending and as this is something that rarely happens to me and i put no blame on the author i reached out to him to explain it to me. HE ACTUALLY DID!!!! What a gentleman to do this. I will certainly read the next in the series. Macduff is a great character and the mysteries he tackles are entertaining.
October 1, 2020
Stars just can’t tell you how terrific Rusty Macduff is as a detective. Now he’s taken a case where the face and all identifying marks are missing. if you’ve been following Rusty s progress as a detective you may think he’s finally taken one case to far. Not so.
Rusty is a golden age detective with a splash of humor, well worth the time snuggled up in your favorite reading place. But take snacks ready to read straight thru and for a great time detecting.
Absolutely recommend !!
Rusty is a golden age detective with a splash of humor, well worth the time snuggled up in your favorite reading place. But take snacks ready to read straight thru and for a great time detecting.
Absolutely recommend !!
Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews