Seven Kinds of Death

Constance and Charlie #5

by Kate Wilhelm

Former arson detective Charlie Meiklejohn and psychologist Constance Leidl team up to investigate sculptor Marion Olsen's artist's colony when bodies begin turning up there. Original.

Genres: Mystery, Audiobook, Fiction, Novels, Suspense, Mystery Thriller

Mass Market Paperback

First published January 1, 1992

About the author

Kate Wilhelm’s first short story, “The Pint-Sized Genie” was published in Fantastic Stories in 1956. Her first novel, MORE BITTER THAN DEATH, a mystery, was published in 1963. Over the span of her career, her writing has crossed over the genres of science fiction, speculative fiction, fantasy and magical realism, psychological suspense, mimetic, comic, and family sagas, a multimedia stage production, and radio plays. She returned to writing mysteries in 1990 with the acclaimed Charlie Meiklejohn and Constance Leidl Mysteries and the Barbara Holloway series of legal thrillers.

Wilhelm’s works have been adapted for television and movies in numerous countries; her novels and stories have been translated to more than a dozen languages. She has contributed to Quark, Orbit,  Magazine of Fantasy and ScienceFiction, Locus, Amazing Stories, Asimov’s Science Fiction, Ellery Queen’s Mystery Magazine,  Fantastic, Omni, Alfred Hitchcock’s Mystery Magazine, Redbook, and Cosmopolitan.

Kate Wilhelm is the widow of acclaimed science fiction author and editor, Damon Knight (1922-2002), with whom she founded the Clarion Writers’ Workshop and the Milford Writers’ Conference, described in her 2005 non-fiction work, STORYTELLER. They lectured together at universities across three continents; Kate has continued to offer interviews, talks, and monthly workshops.

Kate Wilhelm has received two Hugo awards, three Nebulas, as well as Jupiter, Locus, Spotted Owl, Prix Apollo, Kristen Lohman awards, among others. She was inducted into the Science Fiction Hall of Fame in 2003. In 2009, Kate was the recipient of one of the first Solstice Awards presented by the Science Fiction Writers of America (SFWA) in recognition of her contributions to the field of science fiction. 

Kate’s highly popular Barbara Holloway mysteries, set in Eugene, Oregon, opened with Death Qualified in 1990. Mirror, Mirror, released in 2017, is the series’ 14th novel.

Reviews

[Debra B · Rating 2 out of 5]

I adore Wilhelm's Barbara Holloway legal thrillers, but this book just wasn't up to that standard ... it was ok, but not great.

[Stephen Christian · Rating 2 out of 5]

I've read almost all of the Barbara Holloway series by this author but this was my first "Constance and Charlie" book. It will probably be my last. The only thing that kept me from giving up on it was that I knew how good the Holloway books were. There are always a large number of characters to keep up with in one of Kate Wilhelm's books, but, I kept forgetting who characters were in this one. Some were just not well developed. When I got to the end, I regretted not having given up on the book sooner. The two stars are generous.

[David · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book takes its name not from the number of bodies, but from a piece of sculpture. The husband and wife detectives are visiting when the murder occurs, and only incidentally take part in the investigation.

I found it very hard to read this book. I actually stopped midway through the second chapter. I then needed something to read during a road trip, and I gave this another shot. If you can get through the first third or so of the book, it turns into a good story.

[Sunnyand71 · Rating 3 out of 5]

Barely a three star; if not for the beginning and the ending it would have been two stars. I found every one of the characters to be incredibly tedious people to read about. I kept reading because this author has written a number of books so she must be good. I am unsure if I will read anything else she has written unless someone can tell me of a great one.

[Eliza · Rating 2 out of 5]

Convoluted story about the death of a magazine/book editor.
None of the characters were very nice or well defined for their perverness.
In the end, I didn't care.
Max's son killed Victoria to keep her from revealing (?) that he killed Musselman.
Will try another in the series, but it better be better.

[KM · Rating 1 out of 5]

can't get into this one

[Biana]

My review = my telling AI about the book.

Ahhh — yes! You’ve hit exactly what rubs a lot of people the wrong way about Seven Kinds of Death.

You’re right — this one isn’t steeped in the Oregon setting like many of Wilhelm’s other Barbara Holloway books. Instead, it spends way too much time marinating in New York flashbacks and the “aren’t we fascinating?” nostalgia of Toodles & Co. That’s probably why you didn’t get the Eugene vibe — it barely pokes its head in.

And Toodles? Oh, yes. Manipulative AF is the perfect description. She comes across like the kind of person who thrives on pulling emotional strings, then cries when people call her on it. The book seems to expect us to be charmed by her eccentricity, but really… she’s just selfish with good PR.

As for Constance’s lifelong friendship with Toodles and Bubba — I’m with you. That “we bonded in college and so we’re bound forever” thing would’ve been believable if Constance had outgrown them and moved on. Instead, Wilhelm keeps them as some sort of precious, artsy elite inner circle that feels… well, insufferable.

And Charlie + Constance? I’ll say it: series-perfect people are boring. They’re rich in competence and poor in flaws, and that combo is like eating perfectly iced cardboard. When you don’t know it’s part of a series, their presence in this story is just baffling and intrusive — like you’re at a dinner party where the hosts keep name-dropping inside jokes you weren’t there for.

[Gail · Rating 2 out of 5]

I much prefer her Barbara Holloway series. The huge number of characters were difficult to remember and many also had nicknames. Many were unnecessary to the plot and all were poorly fleshed out.

[Phil · Rating 3 out of 5]

A good tale!

[Denise · Rating 3 out of 5]

2.5 stars. Too many unlikable characters but slogged through to the end

[Juliana · Rating 3 out of 5]

Okay, but not my favorite in this series.

[E · Rating 2 out of 5]

Not one of her best. While her characters are interesting, she just doesn't seem to care enough to develop them much in this one.

[Toni · Rating 3 out of 5]

It seemed a better than average murder mystery. I liked the 2 sleuths as married people I think I will read more of her work at some time

[Helen Fleischer · Rating 4 out of 5]

Charlie & Constance interesting view of art -good

[Linda · Rating 4 out of 5]

An easy, entertaining, and suspenseful read/listen on my MP3. I have enjoyed all of the Kate Wilhelm books that I have read/listened to so far.

[Bill Rakowski]

I liked it.

[Karen · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was a strange one - a little out there.

[Nancy Larsen · Rating 3 out of 5]

A good audio book to quilt by. Wilhelm's characters are varied and interesting.

[Marsha · Rating 2 out of 5]

I loved the relationship between Constance and Charlie. I would have put the book down if not for them. The rest of the plot line had been done before and not very memorable.

[Cindy · Rating 3 out of 5]

Not a quick read as the writing style involves some thinking on the readers part. Still good! Ordered the short story book with Constance and Charlie next.

[Mary Lynn]

Listened to, not the usual legal mystery but a mystery with a touch of the occult. New characters , Charlie, arson investigator and his wife Constance are drawn into a murder at an artist retreats

[Molly · Rating 3 out of 5]

The occult winds its nefarious way into all sorts of things. Wilhelm brings it into a murder mystery. Good read.