Customer Reviews

The Crack in the Lens: A "Holmes on the Range" Mystery

5 star:		(8)
4 star:		(6)
3 star:		(2)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

In 1893, a few weeks have passed since the Amlingmeyer "Reds", Otto "Big Red" and his older brother Gustav "Old Red", dropped into egg drop soup in San Francisco (see BLACK DOVE). Old Red tells Big Red about the love of his life being murdered in an unsolved crime five years ago. Big Red insisting they are Sherlock Holmes level experts ever since they worked the Southern Pacific a few months ago (see ON THE WRONG TRACK) suggests they go to San Marcos, Texas to solve the case of who murdered Gertrude Eichelberger.

The Reds arrive in San Marcos and begin their investigation with the local brothels as Gertrude was a hooker. Their inquiries upset the madams, pimps, and law enforcement types, but they refuse to back down. The brothers soon realize that Gertrude's murderer is a Texas Jack the Ripper having killed several hookers. Although Old Red has the need for closure by catching his beloved's killer, Big Red has his back every step of the way.

As always with the Reds, fans receive an amusing late nineteenth century whodunit starring heroes who poorly employ the techniques of Sherlock Holmes to their investigation. Fans will enjoy their latest escapades as everything is personal this time (not to say being shot at is not personal). With a great story line THE CRACK IN THE LENS is a super entry in a terrific western mystery saga that in its off beat way pays homage to the great detective.

Harriet Klausner

Each of Steve Hockensmith's four _Holmes on the Range_ books does something different. _The Crack in the Lens_ is more realistic, grittier, and much darker than any of the previous volumes. Even Big Red's trademark smartass narration gets a tad subdued in spots.

This isn't a a drawing-room mystery; it's a descent into dark places. There's a hint of Carr's _The Alienist_ here, maybe even a little _The Silence of the Lambs_. The shift adds visceral impact, but it makes the book less fresh and original than its predecessors. I must admit that I personally have had my fill of this plot; it veers toward a cliche, although setting it in the Old West is at least a shock.

Nonetheless, this is a rather ambitious book. Starting with the title, _The Crack in the Lens_ sets up a conflict between intellect and emotion, reason and faith. It doesn't entirely resolve the conflict, however. For instance, a couple of the characters make some pronouncements that really demand to be either affirmed or refuted. (They're not sympathetic characters, although--give Hockensmith credit for this--one of them turns up on the side of the good guys at a crucial point.) Even the climax is a bit ambiguous in that regard: it's as much a flash of intuition as it is logical deduction. To put it another way, this book shifts noticeably towards the real world, where things are lot messier than in the classical mystery.

It helps that, for the first time, the Amlingmeyer boys have a personal stake in the outcome. No longer are they agents of an abstract justice, or simply feeling the bite of ambition. This added dimension allows Hockensmith to sharpen up his philosophical point and display some deeper characterization. And there's still impeccable research, fast pacing, action, vivid period color, and some laugh-out-loud funny bits. If you're new to the series, though, I'd mildly suggest not starting here; _The Crack in the Lens_ will have more impact if you're already familiar with Our Heroes beforehand.

Hockensmith is taking a considerable risk here, for which I commend him. By taking this bleaker tack, he may alienate fans of his earlier books. Me, I'm not alienated--heck, I'm impressed by his chutzpah. I still plan to buy the next one the day it comes out.

Some of the charm is gone. Whether the extra realism and ambition make up for that is your call. Buy the book and find out.

Steve Hockensmith continues an excellent series. I hope there are more.

This is a tale of long-lost love -- and the attempt to redeem it from its rather squalid beginnings. Here we have the Amlingmeyers returning to San Marcos, TX, where, it was revealed in the previous book in the series, Gustav "Old Red" Amlingmeyer met and fell in love with a "soiled dove," who died mysteriously, which ultimately sent "Old Red" and his brother "Big Red" on the precursor events to this book.

Fast, witty, intriguing, and a hoot to boot. This book very much concludes the first four in the series. I would hope to see another four.

Highly recommended.

This is an enjoyable tale but not near as good as the first 3. It does not have the complexity, humor, nor action of the first three. Having read the first three books the main characters are much much thinner in this book. I found the bad guy sort of telegraphed to the reader versuses the slow accumlation of clues and rationale of the central characters--it was more Sherlockhomes-like in the previous three. I gave it three stars for a quick read and okay story. I wouldn't recommend it to anyone who had not read the first 3 books and enjoyed them --since this is certainly the weakest link in the series.

Now that Otto "Big Red" Amlingmeyer has been published, he and his brother Gustav "Old Red" don't need to find a new job right away. As a result, Gus decides it is time to head back to San Marcos, Texas, and resolve some unfinished business.

Five years earlier, Old Red was in love with a lady of the night. Before they could save up enough money to buy her freedom and get married, she was brutally murdered. Now that he has some skill as a detective, it is time to go back and make sure the killer faces justice. Not that it will be easy. No one seems to want to help them. Even old friends are turning their backs on him. Can Old Red solve a murder where the trail has grown cold?

While these books have always been darker than my usual fair, this is the darkest one to date. One scene in particular was very gruesome. Even Big Red's funny asides in the narration are more subdued over most of the book.

But I still couldn't put the book down. The plot kept moving forward at a steady pace. And while we weren't always getting clues, we were constantly hitting obstacles. Our heroes are up against some pretty impressive odds, which added greatly to the tension.

I also liked the way that Old Red was fleshed out. For the first time in the series, I felt we got to see true weakness. I feel like I know him much better as a result. Watching Big Red react to the changes in his brother allowed us to get to know him a little better as well. While there were many characters I didn't like there were some sympathetic characters here I would love to see again.

With how this book ends, I can't wait to see how things are developed in future books.

It is 1893 in San Marcos, Texas, and brothers Otto `Big Red' and Gustav `Old
Red' Amlingmeyer, come together to solve the five-year-old murder of one of the town's
painted ladies, who is also a former love of Old Red's. Younger brother Big Red fashions
himself a detective in the Sherlock Holmes style, and who is Old Red to argue? He just
wants to find out who killed his beloved Gertrude. The brothers run up against the local
law as well as the town pimp, and find that there are many suspects in such a small town
as San Marcos.

This is Hockensmith's fourth book in the series, but it stands alone quite well.
The story takes place a few weeks after events in "The Black Dove," released in 2008.
While the dialogue and certain situations the brothers find themselves are laugh-out-loud
funny, this is a dark book. The murder of Old Red's love was brutal and it has left him
emotionally bereft, or as emotionally bereft as Old Red is capable of.

Hockensmith does a marvelous job of fleshing out the personalities of the brothers
so that their true selves are revealed. His writing style is perfect for this mystery-set-in-
the-old-west-with-a-modern-twist. The story is captivating and the characters are worth
the emotional investment of the reader.
This is a one-of-a-kind read. Highly recommended.

Reviewed by Julie Dolcemaschio, author of Testarossa, for Suspense Magazine

Read several of the books in this series. Always funny, learn about that time in history and have a good mystery. Will read anything by Hockensmith. Highly reccommend.

I did like this book. The previous one seemed too contrived, too forced. This one gave the reader more insight into the brothers. The story was personal. Holmes does not have the answers to all and Old Red has his doubts. That is as it should be. Old Red is not Holmes, but Holmes can be a good teacher.

On to the next book.

This is the fourth Holmes on the Range novel, and they should be taken in order, so go back to Holmes on the Range and start there if you are not familiar with the series. If you're still reading this review, you probably are a fan of the series already, and if so, this one will not disappoint. Many reviewers found this entry "darker," but I did not find it especially so. Otto's trademark humor was present throughout, and the boys actually have some successes. I thought it was lighter, in fact, than The Black Dove: A Holmes on the Range Mystery (Holmes on the Range Mysteries). One interesting thing about the series is that Hockensmith is still playing with and developing his characters. Rather than having settled into a formula, he is still experimenting, which is keeping the books fresh. In this one, the action was rather slow to develop, and for a long time Old Red was not doing much deducing, just bravely stirring up trouble and following his code. More like Marlowe on the Range than Holmes. In the second half of the book though (which could have been shorter), Hockensmith hits his stride, the characters take to their roles, and we are off on a satisfying ride. Rather than aging with this fourth entry, I feel the best of this series still lies ahead.

Although this volume takes on a bit more serious tone than some of the others in the series, it still offers up plenty of the elements that make these books such an enjoyable read. The characters continue to develop and the action proceeds at a rapid pace. Like the other Holmes on the Range mysteries, I found this one hard to put down. I'd recommend it to anyone that has enjoyed the previous novels.