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...Or Perish
Alumni director Mercator Eliasson didn t anticipate that his work at Masterton College, a liberal arts college in smalltown Minnesota, would place him in the middle of a murder investigation. His beautiful but estranged wife, Carole, requests that he help her friend Jill Moreland escape a murder charge. Mercator agrees out of a desperate need to regain Carole s favor. When Moreland, a geography professor, turns out to have both motive and opportunity for the murder, Mercator s likelihood of success becomes tenuous. On top of that, his inquiries uncover a complex academic controversy where choosing sides may lead to murder.
320 pages, Paperback
First published September 15, 2009
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Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews
November 21, 2012
As anyone who has seen my Goodreads reviews will quickly realize, most of them are books I read long ago and that, frankly, I don’t read many books these days. I’m fairly busy writing and promoting my own novels. Also, while I have picked up a number of books, old and new, with the intention of reading them, many don’t capture or hold my interest past, at most, a chapter or two. One book I received as a “freebie” turned out to be written in present tense, something I cannot endure, and it sits on my shelf unread.
I came by Joel Quam’s book, “…Or Perish” by unusual means. Joel and I shared a table at a library event for authors last summer, and as we were packing up our displays, he and I traded “a mystery for a mystery.” Some days ago, finding myself in that awkward between-books state, I picked it up and started to read.
Finally, a book that engaged me enough to keep going. The characters and setting he created captured me, and I felt I had perhaps been to the small town of Masterton, Minnesota, and its namesake college. The story follows amateur sleuth Mercator Eliasson, alumni director for said college, in his attempt to find the real murderer of one of the board of regents. His main motivation in his quest is to exonerate the prime suspect, a professor at the collect who is a friend of Mercator’s estranged wife. He hopes to regain his wife’s favor by helping out, but he has no idea what lies ahead, including personal endangerment.
One of the most interesting facets of “…Or Perish” was the non-standard approach Mercator takes to find the truth. He does not attempt to emulate the regular methods used by police or private detectives, and certainly does not have access to their resources, and so his investigation is a trip into the unknown for the reader as well. While this might seem a self-evident observation, finding a fresh methodology for solving a puzzle while moving the plot forward is a challenge, remarkably well met in “…Or Perish.” I also enjoyed its literary stylistic flavor. Quite early in the story, I experienced what I call “the magic moment,” which means I wanted to turn to the end and found out what happens with Mercator, his wife, and who really “dun it.”
A couple of notes and observations. The title here on Goodreads is “Publish or Perish,” although I have referenced the title as it actually appears on the cover of the paperback I have. My editor’s eye caught a few errors along the way, but I can attest to the trials and tribulations of proofing and editing and correcting manuscripts. What I noticed was minor and did not deter from a great read.
I came by Joel Quam’s book, “…Or Perish” by unusual means. Joel and I shared a table at a library event for authors last summer, and as we were packing up our displays, he and I traded “a mystery for a mystery.” Some days ago, finding myself in that awkward between-books state, I picked it up and started to read.
Finally, a book that engaged me enough to keep going. The characters and setting he created captured me, and I felt I had perhaps been to the small town of Masterton, Minnesota, and its namesake college. The story follows amateur sleuth Mercator Eliasson, alumni director for said college, in his attempt to find the real murderer of one of the board of regents. His main motivation in his quest is to exonerate the prime suspect, a professor at the collect who is a friend of Mercator’s estranged wife. He hopes to regain his wife’s favor by helping out, but he has no idea what lies ahead, including personal endangerment.
One of the most interesting facets of “…Or Perish” was the non-standard approach Mercator takes to find the truth. He does not attempt to emulate the regular methods used by police or private detectives, and certainly does not have access to their resources, and so his investigation is a trip into the unknown for the reader as well. While this might seem a self-evident observation, finding a fresh methodology for solving a puzzle while moving the plot forward is a challenge, remarkably well met in “…Or Perish.” I also enjoyed its literary stylistic flavor. Quite early in the story, I experienced what I call “the magic moment,” which means I wanted to turn to the end and found out what happens with Mercator, his wife, and who really “dun it.”
A couple of notes and observations. The title here on Goodreads is “Publish or Perish,” although I have referenced the title as it actually appears on the cover of the paperback I have. My editor’s eye caught a few errors along the way, but I can attest to the trials and tribulations of proofing and editing and correcting manuscripts. What I noticed was minor and did not deter from a great read.
March 21, 2013
This book was very entertaining, primarily because of the setting, plot, writing and characters. Those things actually make a good book, so all the elements were there! I enjoyed the "liberal arts college in Minnesota" setting, reading about towns and places I am slightly familiar with.
The main character, Mercator Eliasson, is alumni director at Masterton College near the Twin Cities. Anyone who has been in a private, liberal arts college setting, can recognize certain character traits and personalities developed by author Joel Quam. Being a mystery, there is bound to be a body or two, and Mercator finds himself the discoverer of the corpse and the unwilling participant in uncovering clues to the murder. Suspects and victims all seem to be associated with the college, which adds to the intrigue. Plenty of surprises jump out along the way as well, so this is not a predictable plot. Quam has an amusing way of writing and expressing the character's feelings and outlooks.
If you like mysteries, you should like this book. If you have ever lived in the mid-west or attended a private college, you should like this book.
The main character, Mercator Eliasson, is alumni director at Masterton College near the Twin Cities. Anyone who has been in a private, liberal arts college setting, can recognize certain character traits and personalities developed by author Joel Quam. Being a mystery, there is bound to be a body or two, and Mercator finds himself the discoverer of the corpse and the unwilling participant in uncovering clues to the murder. Suspects and victims all seem to be associated with the college, which adds to the intrigue. Plenty of surprises jump out along the way as well, so this is not a predictable plot. Quam has an amusing way of writing and expressing the character's feelings and outlooks.
If you like mysteries, you should like this book. If you have ever lived in the mid-west or attended a private college, you should like this book.
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June 12, 2012My good family friend wrote this book! A mystery story in the classic format, set in a small-town Minnesota university. Anyone who has worked in academia will recognize the characters in this book and enjoy the riddles and the satisfying conclusion. Plus the main character is names Mercator. That alone makes it worth the read.
Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews