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

Barry Maitland (Author)

Book Description

Series: Kathy and Brock Mysteries | Publication Date: July 3, 2000

Detective Kathy Kolla's first case is one for the books. Meredith Winterbottom, a resident of Jerusalem Lane--a quaint section of London inhabited by Eastern European immigrants--and a great-granddaughter of Karl Marx, is found dead. Was she the victim of greedy real-estate developers, or was she killed for the politics of another age? When a second Marx sister is killed, David Brock, Chief Inspector of Scotland Yard, is brought in to help. As Kathy and Brock delve into the Lane's eccentric melting pot, they find unpublished letters from Marx to Engels; a possible fourth volume of Das Kapital; an endless list of shady suspects; and a plot to end Kathy's investigating days for good. Can they unravel the mystery before Kathy's first case is her last?

The Marx Sisters is a classic British whodunit, one that adds an unforgettable team to the ranks of great fictional detectives.

"Cleverly devious, sagaciously cunning ... Maitland's first mystery is a pleasure to read." --Los Angeles Times

"Intelligently devised and subtly plotted ... A traditional crime novel with memorable and enjoyable detectives, suspects and victims.".--The Dallas Morning News

"A fine morsel ... There is no lack of suspense and no lack of skill in their presentation. More please, Mr. Maitland." --The Washington Times

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

Two Scotland Yard detectives investigate the murder of Karl Marx's great-granddaughters (via an illegitimate son) and the theft of the unpublished manuscript of a fourth volume of Das Kapital, in this engrossing mystery from an Australian writer making his American debut. When 60-something Meredith Winterbottom is found dead in her London flat, Det. Sgt. Kathy Kolla and Chief Inspector David Brock are called in to determine the cause: was she murdered? Meredith and her two sisters had refused to sell their apartment to developers hoping to gentrify Jerusalem Lane, a charming neighborhood where Eastern European immigrants pass the time debating philosophical points and harboring ancient grudges. Kolla and Brock uncover a host of suspicious characters, but the coroner rules death by suicide. The case is reopened six months later, when Meredith's sister Eleanor is murdered. The remaining sister, Peg, who looks like the Queen Mother but is an unreconstructed Stalinist who spouts her great-grandfather's theories while serving tea in fine china, fears for her life. The detectives wade though a maze of misleading clues until, in a dramatic finale, Kolla realizes the strange truth behind the crimes. Maitland has a disconcerting affection for red herrings, which he strews about with a heavy hand. But his deft depiction of his idiosyncratic characters, his evocative portrayal of Jerusalem Lane and his clever use of Marxist theories and history make this nothing less than a Kapital read. (June) FYI: The Marx Sisters was shortlisted for the British Crime Writers Association's John Creasy Award for Best First Mystery.
Copyright 1999 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

From Library Journal

When one of the three elderly Marx sisters (great-granddaughters of Karl Marx) living in a small London neighborhood dies suddenly, her doctor suspects foul play and informs the police. Detective Sergeant Kathy Kolla and Scotland Yard's David Brock pursue the case, finding ample motive for murder in the woman's refusal to accede to an ambitious developer's financial enticements: she was the only hold-out on Jerusalem Lane, once home to Karl Marx. Because several stood to gain from the old woman's deathAincluding her sonAKolla and Brock widen their net. Good, solid prose marks this first-of-a-series procedural. Fine work from an award-winning British mystery writer.
Copyright 1999 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Paperback: 336 pages
• Publisher: Penguin (Non-Classics) (July 3, 2000)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0140291768
• ISBN-13: 978-0140291766
• Product Dimensions: 6.9 x 4.2 x 0.9 inches
• Shipping Weight: 5.4 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 4.6 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (11 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,008,725 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Discover books, learn about writers, read author blogs, and more.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

12 of 13 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A truly outstanding mystery, November 30, 2001

By 

Roger Lee - See all my reviews

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

I have read quite a few mysteries in my time, but only a very few that were as good as this one. The detectives are very likable and three-dimensional. The cast of suspects are very colorful and also well-developed. I liked the way Maitland takes his time developing his two main characters; he allows the reader to become curious about what Kathy and David are really like, and then slowly reveals their personalities and backgrounds. The plot is satisfyingly complex, taking many twists and turns until the final surprising conclusion. The thing that makes this book unusually good is the fact that it combines the great plotting of British mysteries with a faster, more American-like pace. I will definitely be reading this entire series, assuming it continues to be even close to as good as this installment.

7 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars A satisfying read, January 14, 2002

By 

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

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

Kathy Kolla is sent to Jerusalem Lane to investigate the suspicious death of an elderly woman named Meredith Winterbottom. She is surprised when she is teamed up with David Brock, a hotshot from Scotland Yard, who has been in the news lately for solving notorious cases. The author throws a few red herrings in the plot but in the end everything turns out right with the world.

I appreciate that the author split the book in two parts. In Part One, Maitland teams up Kolla and Brock in the first book of his series. He comes up with a reason to team them up and investigate the crime. It is not until Part Two that we learn the real reason that Brock wanted to meet Kolla. Kathy is not happy at first, but later understands the reasoning.

I liked the characters on this novel and am planning on trying to read the other three books in the series. The characters are fresh as well as human. Kolla is having an affair with a married man and she does not like it. There is still more to be learned about Brock. There were some hints near the end but it just makes me want to read THE MALCONTENTA and learn more about these detectives.

11 of 13 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Positively dripping with atmosphere and intelligence, August 31, 2000

By 

omnireader "Linda" (New Jersey USA) - See all my reviews

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

It came as no suprise to me that Barry Maitland has an architectural background, as this book is as much about place as people. His fictional Londan street, "Jerusalem Lane" springs to life through his masterful descriptions. Jerusalem Lane to my imagination was a slice of Central Europe set down in London, with all of that region's tangled politics and ethnic tensions.

When one of three sisters living together in one of the old houses on the street is found dead, Kathy Kolla on her first murder case is unable to find enough evidence to continue the investigation, even with the assistance of one of Scotland Yard's finest, Inspector Brock. However, when the second of the three sisters is found dead in similar circumstances, Kolla and Brock know that it must be murder.

Whether the murders were done by greedy property developers, greedy relatives, alienated neighbors or perhaps a victim of obsession is the puzzle. It should keep you guessing to the end. Even though Kolla and brock would seem to be stock characters, "rookie and old-timer", they both are interesting, complex and intriguing. I wonder why this series, so long known in England and Australia was so slow in being published here. I look forward to the rest of the series.