The Malcontenta: A Kathy and Brock Mystery (Kathy and Brock Mysteries) [Paperback]

Barry Maitland (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: May 1, 2001 | Series: Kathy and Brock Mysteries

When the apparent suicide of a young physiotherapist starts to take on more sinister aspects, Detective Sergeant Kathy Kolla jumps at the chance to investigate. Soon, questions arise: is a cover-up taking place to protect the reputations of wealthy clients? Was it really suicide or-murder? Suddenly taken off the case, Kathy turns to Detective Chief Inspector Brock of Scotland Yard. But when Brock checks himself in as a patient, they both learn that spas are not always good for your health-especially if you're a target for murder. This is the second appearance of Kathy and Brock, introduced in Maitland's highly acclaimed first mystery, The Marx Sisters. The Malcontenta is another fast-paced and suspenseful story from a shining new light on the mystery scene.

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com Review

Detective Sergeant Kathy Kolla and Detective Chief Inspector David Brock of Scotland Yard, who first appeared in Barry Maitland's well-received American debut, The Marx Sisters, are once again shepherding readers through the pages of a deceptively simple, solidly plotted police procedural. This time, though, the gritty rituals of inspection and evidence are, rather amusingly, confined to a naturopathic spa where the elegant buildings and serene atmosphere evoke the refined settings of Agatha Christie's country house mysteries. One almost expects to catch Hercule Poirot bustling through the spa's Greek (in name if not origin) temple. Unfortunately, bustling is not the activity of interest at this particular temple; hanging, however, is.

On temporary assignment away from London and bored to tears with the dully quotidian tasks assigned to her, Kathy leaps at the chance to investigate the apparent suicide of Alex Petrou, a physiotherapist at the Stanhope Clinic. But when inconsistencies start piling up, Kathy finds herself with a wide circle of suspects and motives: Was Petrou killed to protect the interests of certain wealthy clients? Was the physiotherapist indulging in a spot of unhealthy blackmail? What secrets might Dr. Stanley Beamish-Newell be hiding under his melodic voice and lentil soufflés? Yanked unceremoniously--and suspiciously-- from the case before she can investigate further, Kathy asks Brock to help her. When he infiltrates the spa (and what an amusing patient he is), Brock stumbles into a morass of suspicion and deception and the consequences echo in some unexpectedly familiar places.

Perhaps The Malcontenta's greatest achievement is what it doesn't do. With a cast of characters drawn straight from a textbook on mystery plots (the eager rookie cop, the avuncular chief inspector, the impressively charismatic great man, the slick foreigner, the coolly clinical nurse, the shyly ineffectual gardener, the cheerful Irish lass, etc., etc.), the novel risks plunging into the depths of stultifying cliché. Instead, Maitland's deft touch makes these familiar characters refreshing. Though the professional chemistry between Brock and Kathy seems more muted than in The Marx Sisters, the reader is more than compensated by the care Maitland takes in fleshing out the nuanced relationships between the detectives and the people they investigate. Readers should be well content with The Malcontenta. --Kelly Flynn --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

From Publishers Weekly

The Malcontenta, an 18th-century mansion near Rochester in Kent, forms the backdrop for another superior mystery from Creasy Award nominee Maitland (The Marx Sisters). Det. Sergeant Kathy Kolla goes to Stanhope Naturopathic Clinic, the spa that now occupies the Malcontenta, to investigate the reported suicide by hanging of Greek physiotherapist Alex Petrou. When both the spa's director, Dr. Stephen Beamish-Newell, and Kathy's boss, DI Ric Tanner, prove uncooperative if not hostile, Kathy seeks help from her old partner, DCI David Brock. Posing as a desk-bound civil servant, Brock books in at the spa, where he uncovers a profitable secret enterprise behind the naturopathy. In addition, he learns that Petrou was into sex, drugs and blackmail. Brock's questions lead to a second killing, clearly murder this time, but his lack of discipline gets him kicked off the case. Kathy and Brock find they must pursue the truth in Rome, Orvieto, Vicenza and ultimately the original site for the Malcontenta, a villa located south of Venice. A Scot raised in London who teaches architecture at an Australian university, Maitland is particularly good at describing old buildings and the drab English weather. This is only the second of five Kathy and Brock mysteries to be published in the U.S. With any luck the rest of this literate series will soon become available here. (Aug.)
Copyright 2000 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

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Product Details

• Paperback: 352 pages
• Publisher: Penguin (Non-Classics); Reissue edition (May 1, 2001)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0141001445
• ISBN-13: 978-0141001449
• Product Dimensions: 6.7 x 4.1 x 1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 6.4 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 4.2 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (9 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #460,054 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

9 of 9 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars The Malcontenta, September 12, 2000

By 

tregatt (Portland, Oregon) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Malcontenta: A Kathy Lolla and David Brock Mystery (Hardcover)

In spite of the rave reviews, I must have been one of the few that did not find Barry Maitland's first Kathy and Brock mystery, "The Marx Sisters", all that wonderful. The mystery itself was promising but the novel, in my opinion, tended to meander all over the place, and to get bogged down at times. Having confessed to that, I'll admit that this second Kathy and Brock mystery, The Malcontenta", is really good. Tightly paced and with very good character and plot development, this novel really gave you that 'at-the-edge-of-your-seat' feeling.

Bored with her temporary assignment to the Family and Juvenille Crime unit, Sergeant Kathy Kolla jumps at the chance to investigate a suspicious death at the Stanhope Naturopathic Clinic. From the very first Kathy has to contend with the clinic's staff and administrators whose first priority is naturally to protect the reputation of the clinic, themeselves and their rich and influential clients. Did the physiotherapist, Alex Petrou, commit siucide or is it a case of murder? Things are not adding up for Kathy, and Petrou himself seems to have been abit of a shady character. But just as it looks as if the case is about to break, Kathy is pulled off the case and reprimanded for incompetence.

Frustrated and not at all sure of what she should do, Kathy turns to Brock for advice and help, especially when the Petrou's death is glossed over as an unfortunate accident. Both Kathy and Brock begin to suspect some sort of cover up that reaches into the higher echelons of the county police. But how far up and how many are involved?

This mystery novel is a truly good read. I encourage those few who like me found "The Marx Sisters" disappionting to give this novel a go. You will not be sorry.

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Kathy and Brock are back, January 25, 2002

By 

Angel L. Soto (USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Malcontenta: A Kathy and Brock Mystery (Kathy and Brock Mysteries) (Paperback)

THE MALCONTENTA marks the return of Detective Sergeant Kathy Kolla and Detective Chief Inspector David Brock where they join forces again to solve a murder.

Kathy has been working light duty for the last few months after recuperating from her injuries sustained in THE MARX SISTERS. Her commanding officer gives her and her partner instructions to go investigate an alleged suicide at a posh health spa. When Kathy starts to investigate she finds inconsistencies with the suicide finding and suffers from obstructions of justice brought by the staff of the spa. When Kathy starts creating waves she is yanked off the case by her commanding officer.

Kathy decides to visit Brock. Since their work together in the previous novel they share a mutual respect for each other. Kathy tells Brock about the case and her concerns and he decides to join the spa in order to find information.

Kathy grows in this novel after the foolhardy way she worked her previous case. I like that the author is taking his time in exploring her characters as he did with DS Kolla this time. He describes her home as well as her neighbors and introduces a possible love interest for Kathy. Brock is still mysterious and in every book we get to know a little more about him but not much about his personal life.

The supporting characters are rather diverse but very interesting. Everybody seemed to hate the dead victim and everyone had an opportunity to kill him in one way or another. It is interesting in this book how one person can affect a whole group of people in ways that affect them indirectly. The story is very involving till the very end.

My only complaint in this book was Kathy herself. There were several characters that were hindering her investigation that she should have arrested for obstruction. Maybe the English have a different way of doing things than the Americans or perhaps the author thought it would have served no purpose. No matter, I enjoyed this novel and am looking forward to reading THE CHALON HEADS.

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars The Malcontenta: A Kathy and Brock Mystery by Barry Maitland, June 23, 2001

By A Customer

This review is from: The Malcontenta: A Kathy and Brock Mystery (Kathy and Brock Mysteries) (Paperback)

After having read and enjoyed "The Marx Sisters" by Barry Maitland, I was eager to read "The Malcontenta". While entertaining, it is not as excellent as his previous work.

Kathy and Brock still make a good team and I am looking forward to reading more of these books.

"The Malcontenta" is set in a Health Spa. I have found, over many years, that although Health Spas and Cruise Ships would seem to be ideal settings for mysteries, they usually disappoint.

Nonetheless, this is a good read and I would not hesitate to recommend it, particularly to lovers of English mysteries.