Pride and Predator (Ben Reese Mysteries (Ballantine)) [Mass Market Paperback]

Sally Wright (Author)

Book Description

Series: Ben Reese Mysteries (Ballantine) | Publication Date: December 7, 1999

ACADEMIC SLEUTH BEN REESE IS BACK--
SMOKING OUT A KILLER IN SCOTLAND.

Parson Jonathan MacLean is too healthy and widely loved to die so young. Yet suddenly and mysteriously he's dead. Archivist Ben Reese, in Scotland to appraise the treasures of Balnagard Castle for his old friend Lord Alexander Chisholm, suspects cold-blooded murder. And he is absolutely certain it was one of Jonathan's kith and kin who slipped into his picnic hamper the bees that triggered his fatal allergy. What Ben doesn't suspect is that the same venomous killer is now arranging a most creative death for Ben himself. . . .

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

While walking along a remote path in central Scotland on his way to an appointment, Parson Jonathan MacLean suddenly collapses and dies. His wife is stunned because MacLean was healthy and there was apparently no reason for his death. Meanwhile, when American archivist and amateur sleuth Ben Reese arrives to appraise the contents of a nearby estate, he's asked to investigate the parson's death. Evidence suggests MacLean was killed by a bee sting, but when an attempt is made on Reese's life and MacLean's wife turns up dead, Reese realizes that murder is afoot. Suspects begin to surfaceAfrom MacLean's brother to a local resident recently released from a mental institution. Set against the backdrop of the beautiful yet mysterious Scottish countryside and filled with suspicious locals who for reasons of their own take sides for or against Reese, this is quite a compelling story. Wright (Publish and Perish, which also features Reese) not only provides clever leads to challenge the reader, but she has also created a strong and interesting protagonist in Reese, himself a widower, who is able to use his personal experience to solve the crime.
Copyright 1999 Reed Business Information, Inc.

Review

"PRIDE AND PREDATOR is a welcome retreat to the Golden Age of mystery. With a touch of Dorothy L. Sayers, this book is almost totally Ngaio Marsh in style and character. Definitely a must for those of you who relish classic mystery authors."
--The Snooper

"An evocative storyteller, Wright's descriptions of the ancient land of Scotland and the family relationships of its inhabitants are as compelling as the mystery itself."
--Mostly Murder

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Mass Market Paperback: 336 pages
• Publisher: Ballantine Books (December 7, 1999)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0345425898
• ISBN-13: 978-0345425898
• Product Dimensions: 6.8 x 4.1 x 0.9 inches
• Shipping Weight: 6.4 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 4.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (8 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,453,014 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

19 of 20 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A surreal atmospheric mystery, December 12, 1999

By 

Harriet Klausner - See all my reviews
(#1 Hall OF FAME REVIEWER)    (TOP 1000 REVIEWER)    (REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Pride and Predator (Ben Reese Mysteries (Ballantine)) (Mass Market Paperback)

In 1961, Jonathan MacLean is a minister in the Scottish Church. He is happily married to the woman he loves and owns the ancestral estate Kilgarth. His best friend, Lord Alexander Chisholm, owns Balnagard Castle. The two buddies plan to take their annual trip together, which consists of roaming the countryside wherever their instincts lead them to travel. However, Jonathan dies from anaphylaxis reaction to bee venom.

Alex believes that someone deliberately murdered his friend as the bees were found inside Jonathan's picnic basket. Alex is happy that another friend, intelligence officer Ben Reese is coming to Balnagard to appraise his heirlooms. When Ben arrives, he agrees to investigate Jonathan's death. Ben soon finds several viable suspects, but never anticipated that the killer might want to make him the next victim.

Although the story line occurs less than four decades ago, there remains a surreal atmosphere, as if the events occurred in a previous century. The plot is compelling as PRIDE AND PREDATOR focuses on a monster wearing the respectable mask of sane civility that fools everyone except the likable hero. Sally Wright has the right stuff as she shows her story telling abilities to turn a mid-twentieth century who-done-it into a grand novel.

Harriet Klausner

9 of 9 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Very very good!, January 31, 2001

By 

Russ White "Russ White" (Holly Springs, NC USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Pride and Predator (Ben Reese Mysteries (Ballantine)) (Mass Market Paperback)

Some of the best new mystery fiction coming out today. I'm glad to see the adventures of Ben Reese moving forward--unlike most other modern 'mysteries,' this series doesn't rely on blood and guts or sex between the characters to keep the novel moving along--the mystery is the point of the book, and mystery is what you get. The plot is well thought out, and the clues well placed.

8 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars A very complex mystery with a lot of suspects, November 17, 2003

By 

M. C. Crammer (Decatur, GA USA) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)   

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This review is from: Pride and Predator (Hardcover)

I give the book 4 stars rather than 5 primarily because I had trouble keeping track of the many characters and the geography -- just way too much to follow . But I decided not to bother figuring out "who dun it" (although a shrewd guess halfway through turned out to be correct) and just enjoy the trip.

The plot involves the death of a man who was greatly loved but had a few enemies as well -- an upper class man who had returned from World War II a changed man, who became a Presbyterian minister and married an American pianist. He is found dead on Holy Island, apparently the victim of an accident, but there are circumstances that make those close to Reverend McLean question whether it was really an accident or murder. Ben Reese, an American archivist with a skill for solving mysteries, has already been called in to make an inventory of saleable items at a castle in Scotland owned by Reverend McLean's best friend, so he is asked to poke around and see if there is enough evidence to go to the police and ask for the case to be reopened.

The strength of the book is in the literary skill of the author, although some of the dialogue seemed a bit to lyrical for the characters. This book kept me reading and wanting to know "who dun it." If you like Scottish settings, you'll probably like this book, although be warned, you're not going to read this book in one evening.