Mausoleum
A Ben Abbott
Mystery
Justin Scott
Poisoned Pen Press (Hardcover)
ISBN-10: 1-59058-468-6 (1590584686)
ISBN-13: 978-1-59058-468-2 (9781590584682)
Publication Date: December 2007
List Price: $24.95
Synopsis (from
the publisher): When Newbury Connecticut’s three hundred year
old village cemetery is invaded by a gaudy, half-million dollar
mausoleum, Ben Abbott is not happy.
Newcomer Brian Grose’s tall, wide, mirror-polished eruption
of eternal ego sticks out in the peaceful burying ground like a
McMansion in an apple orchard. Ben’s fellow drinkers at the
bar have nicknamed the monstrosity, “McTomb.” But
no one expected to find Brian’s body locked in his mausoleum,
fifty years ahead of schedule.
Then Homeland Security Immigration Criminal Enforcement agents descend
on Newbury hunting for Charlie Cubrero, an illegal immigrant farm
hand—and supposed gang leader—who bought a gun
after he was stiffed for fifty bucks by Brian Grose.
Ben Abbott doesn’t buy it. Half the town was in the graveyard
celebrating Newbury’s tercentennial when Brian was shot and
most of them were mad at him. Besides, Ben admires the hard working
Charlie. And he fears that the news that the illegal worked for the
Village Cemetery Association will destroy the venerable society already
torn asunder by suing and counter-suing anti-mausoleum traditionalists
and pro-mausoleum insurgents.
Review:
Connecticut real estate agent Ben Abbott investigates murder in, of all
places, a mausoleum in the aptly titled Mausoleum, the
fifth mystery in this series by Justin Scott.
Brian Grose, a California real estate developer, has chosen rural
Connecticut to be his home in retirement. One of his first
acts as a resident, other than building a monstrous home to live in, is
to construct a mausoleum in the local cemetery. When Grose is found
shot dead inside his mausoleum, the cemetery association asks Ben to
look into the murder to, as they put it, "preserve the integrity of the
association." The prime suspect is an illegal alien that had been
working on farms in the area, but Ben doesn't understand what motive he
might have. As Ben continues his investigation, he discovers that Brian
Grose was more active in his business than residents originally
thought, and that his plans may have prompted someone to have him
permanently retired.
Mausoleum
begins with an intriguing opening premise in the form of a locked room
mystery: a dead man, shot several times, is found within a sealed
structure with no obvious way for a murderer to get in (or out) without
being seen. During the course of Ben's investigation, he posits several
theories on how one might accomplish this impossible task. But then,
somewhat inexplicably, this tantalizing mystery is largely abandoned in
favor of a resolution that makes the crime far more mundane. It's a bit
of a let down.
(Potential spoiler alert in this paragraph.) The middle half of the
book is devoted to Ben pursuing what is essentially a missing persons
case. And when said missing person is located, he has nothing to do
with the murder. At best, his existence is only peripheral to the
solution. It's very disappointing that so much effort was expended for
something that is essentially irrelevant to the story.
This is not to say that Mausoleum
is not without some merit. Setting aside the endless missing persons
investigation and running commentary about Homeland Security, the
whodunit aspect of the murder plot is well thought out and executed.
Some of the best passages in the book are of Ben's personal life. Aunt
Connie is a wonderful character who is given far too little attention;
Ben's relationship with her is quite special. Ben's time at
home, in preparing a meal with a neighbor for example, is especially
charming. And finally, the concluding chapter is both unexpected and
memorable.
Despite some of the tangential and inconsequential elements of the book, Mausoleum works
well as a murder mystery and in the continued development of Ben Abbott
as a character in this series.
Special thanks to Poisoned Pen Press for providing an ARC of Mausoleum for this review.
Review Copyright © 2008 — Hidden Staircase Mystery Books — All Rights Reserved.
Mysteries in this series ...
HardScape
Viking Press (Hardcover), February 1994
ISBN: 0-670-85212-0 (0670852120)
StoneDust
Viking Press (Hardcover), February 1995
ISBN: 0-670-85213-9 (0670852139)
FrostLine
Poisoned Pen Press (Hardcover), September 2003
ISBN: 1-59058-062-1 (1590580621)
McMansion
Poisoned Pen Press (Hardcover), January 2007
ISBN-10: 1-59058-063-X (159058063X)
ISBN-13: 978-1-59058-063-9 (9781590580639)
Mausoleum
Poisoned Pen Press (Hardcover), December 2007
ISBN-10: 1-59058-468-6 (1590584686)
ISBN-13: 978-1-59058-468-2 (9781590584682)
Omnimystery keywords for Mausoleum ...
Location(s) referenced: Connecticut.