Customer Reviews

A Rare & Deadly Issue

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An intelligent "whodunit" and a rare peek into the inner sanctum of antiquarians - what more could a reader who doesn't usually partake of mystery fare ask for?

Cataloger turned sleuth, Jennie Maguire, manages to come across as both fresh-faced and street smart, a most disarming combination. Her combination of Irish and Jewish roots gives her a wellspring of history and gumption from which to draw from.

Best are the glimpses into a rarified world, told by someone who's obviously been there. Thompson has brought the universe of the "familiar jingle of chimes hanging above the entrance door" perfectly to life.

From its witty title on down, "A Rare & Deadly Issue" (note the ampersand) is a smoothly written tale set in the incestuous world of rare books, with atmosphere and McGuffins aplenty. This nimble, well-constructed mystery has a light touch, a patina of literary references, and an ensemble of characters that keep things very much alive -- despite the corpses.

Anyone who enjoys mysteries that teach you about a particular business or industry while challenging your "whodunit" skills will love A Rare And Deadly Issue by Marlena Thompson. The industry under discussion is the antiquarian book business. In addition to piling up dead bodies, Thompson piles up fascinating details about the dealers, customers and experts who deal in antiquarian books. I found the information about forgery especially interesting. In fact, the book is almost a short course on the subject. Let's put it this way: you'll learn to avoid so many of the common mistakes that you may consider pulling a caper yourself.

On the mystery side, the book has more red herrings than a condemned fish shop. But all of them make sense and fit logically into the final resolution. I guess that's why I couldn't figure out who did it until it was revealed in the book. Maybe you'll do better. Thompson provides the necessary clues fair and square.

Her characters are engaging and seem to be drawn from people she has actually known. Anyone who loves books will able to identify with them. After all, they're in the book business - and loving books is what it's all about. Plus money and greed - two items that color the industry as you'll quickly learn when you read the book.