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Shamus Dust
Two candles flaring at a Christmas crib. A nurse who steps inside a church to light them. A gunshot emptied in a man’s head in the creaking stillness before dawn, that the nurse says she didn’t hear. It’s 1947 in the snowbound, war-scarred City of London, where Pandora’s Box just got opened in the ruins, City Police has a vice killing on its hands, and a spooked councilor hires a shamus to help spare his blushes. Like the Buddha says, everything is connected. So it all can be explained. But that’s a little cryptic when you happen to be the shamus, and you’re standing over a corpse.
376 pages, Paperback
First published October 28, 2019
About the author
Janet Roger
1 book373 followers* WINNER 2019 - BEVERLY HILLS BOOK AWARD - SHAMUS DUST
* WINNER 2019 - FULLY BOOKED BOOK OF THE YEAR - SHAMUS DUST
* FINALIST 2020 -ERIC HOFFER AWARD - SHAMUS DUST
* FINALIST 2020 -INTERNATIONAL BOOK AWARDS - SHAMUS DUST
* FINALIST 2020 - NATIONAL INDIE EXCELLENCE AWARDS - SHAMUS DUST
As a teenager I'd read all of Raymond Chandler’s Philip Marlowe stories - not so long after they were written as I’d like to think - and they knocked my socks off. He wrote about Los Angeles and its neon-lit boulevards, its sour, gritty downtown and gun-toting cops (a novelty to this young European) and made them exotic. But what really got under my skin was Marlowe's voice guiding me around the next street corner, and beyond it into a stale apartment block or a down and low bar. He invited me to look over his shoulder, let me see the highs and the lows, talked me through it and then put me in the seat beside him to drive me home. It was heady stuff, up to the point where the story began to seem incidental to the city, its moods and characters and speech patterns. What really mattered was a time, a place and the people you might run into there. I’d discovered a new kind of mystery writing and got hooked. I wasn’t the only one. Pretty soon it just wasn’t possible to take the Chandler out of anyone’s idea of LA. By now you might have the same thought about Leon and Venice, Lehane and Boston, or Block and New York. And when that happens, you know they’re getting under your skin too.
* WINNER 2019 - FULLY BOOKED BOOK OF THE YEAR - SHAMUS DUST
* FINALIST 2020 -ERIC HOFFER AWARD - SHAMUS DUST
* FINALIST 2020 -INTERNATIONAL BOOK AWARDS - SHAMUS DUST
* FINALIST 2020 - NATIONAL INDIE EXCELLENCE AWARDS - SHAMUS DUST
As a teenager I'd read all of Raymond Chandler’s Philip Marlowe stories - not so long after they were written as I’d like to think - and they knocked my socks off. He wrote about Los Angeles and its neon-lit boulevards, its sour, gritty downtown and gun-toting cops (a novelty to this young European) and made them exotic. But what really got under my skin was Marlowe's voice guiding me around the next street corner, and beyond it into a stale apartment block or a down and low bar. He invited me to look over his shoulder, let me see the highs and the lows, talked me through it and then put me in the seat beside him to drive me home. It was heady stuff, up to the point where the story began to seem incidental to the city, its moods and characters and speech patterns. What really mattered was a time, a place and the people you might run into there. I’d discovered a new kind of mystery writing and got hooked. I wasn’t the only one. Pretty soon it just wasn’t possible to take the Chandler out of anyone’s idea of LA. By now you might have the same thought about Leon and Venice, Lehane and Boston, or Block and New York. And when that happens, you know they’re getting under your skin too.
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December 7, 2023
It wasn’t complicated. Not more than an early morning call from a City grandee, a nurse who came across her neighbor dead or dying before dawn on Christmas Day, and the dead neighbor’s latchkeys in my hand. That and the voice that always whispers in my ear, soft as telling a rosary, that for every reason I might think I have for mixing in a murder, there are ten better reasons to walk away. I crossed the angle of the court, fitted one of the keys in its lock and gave it a quarter turn. As for the voice that whispers, I hear it every time I step uninvited into an unlit room. The trick is not to let it start a conversation.”April is not the cruelest month, not by a long shot. That would be October, when I drown my annual sorrows with the hope that next year, for sure, my beloved Metropolitans will not only make the playoffs, but go all the way. It is salved by the orgasmic visual and tactile experience that is Autumn in Northeastern USA, particularly after yet another too hot, overlong summer. But then, it is spoiled in turn as retailers insist on pushing their Christmas season earlier and earlier into the year. It used to be that they held off until Santa climbed off his Macy’s float and began renting lap space for cash. But no, they have pushed it back, past Halloween, past Columbus Day, to the beginning of October, and they may even have snuck past that to late September when I was otherwise engaged. A blot on humanity, this. How long can it be before the Christmas advertising begins right after Independence Day? Bad words are used in abundance, if not at particularly high volume, more muttering really. Greed, filthy lucre and all that. Not that I have anything against filthy lucre, per se, other than its insistent avoidance of my wallet and financial accounts. But I may have to rethink all this. It appears that Santa found his way to my chimney in OCTOBER! Not that I spotted him scrambling down. That would not have ended well for him, as, while we do have a chimney, there is no actual outlet inside the house. He might have missed subsequent deliveries, and the aroma might have become noticeable, but it was clear that he had me in mind this year, and early. It has been a while since I read a terrific Christmas book. And this one wasn’t even wrapped in a bow, with reflective or joyously seasonal paper.
Janet Roger - image from Dorset Book Detective
It was a friend request. Not the first one I had received from an author. In fact, they are a bit of a problem in the dark business of book-reviewing, so much so that I had put a line in my profile intended to ward off author review requests. This one had the smarts to not bug me for an opinion. We exchanged a few friendly messages. You might like to check this website. Oh yeah, well You might want to check out This short story, and on it went, until a page from her book got around my virtual chain-link guard dogs, finding its way to my bloodshot eyes. It was the sort of book you catch a glimpse of, and your knees start to wobble. The edges of your mouth start to head toward your eyes. I knew there was no antidote to a virus like this. I had been successfully dosed. “Consider me seduced,” I wrote. “Can I get a review copy?” She didn’t play coy, but accommodated straight away. I like that in an author. Her people would be sending one my way faster than a copy editor strikes out a repetitive “the.” Wondering how easy this might turn out to be, I pushed my luck. Not everyone goes for extra stuff like this, but she seemed game, so I went ahead and asked. “How about an e-book, too?” And scored! No sooner did I download the book than I had to, just had to start reading. Even though my usual preference is for ink on dead trees, there was nothing for it. The heart wants what the heart wants, and boy, did my heart want.
The streetlamp hung off a half-timber gatehouse in the middle of a row of storefronts with offices over, there to light the gatehouse arch and a path running through it to a churchyard beyond. – image from A London Inheritance
Some books you rush through, even some good books. But this one, for me, was a slow read. Not in the sense of too dense to take in all at once. More in the way of wanting the pleasure to last. Wanting to squeeze the most out of the reading experience, and enjoying the sensations. I am sure most of us have had those experiences when there is sensate joy to be had and the best way is slow and steady, not wham-bam and I’m outta here. There is enough juice, enough fun in this one to let you linger a good long while, sustaining a peak of interest, a long plateau, with frissons of thrill along the way. Taking one’s time encourages close attention, which is significant in keeping up with all that is going on. Roger does not waste a lot of time on irrelevant side-trips. It helps, also, if you like noir, if Raymond Chandler, Dashiell Hammett, and writers of the sort satisfy that particular need. It helps if you like to smile. We all got needs.
The church had a square over a doorway framed in checkerboard stonework. An iron-studded door stood half-open on the porch (entrance), a police officer hunched in its shadow. – image from A London Inheritance
Newman (no, Seinfeld fans. Picture that guy and lose the mood entirely.) is our mononymous PI, halfway, I guess, between the fully named Philip Marlowe and Hammett’s nameless Continental Op, a Yank, late of an insurance investigation gig, long-time resident and practitioner in The City of London. The specificity is intentional. Greater London, these days, is over 700 square miles. In 1947 it was half that, give or take. The City of London, the Wall-Street-ian financial capital, is one square mile, inside the original Roman walls. Chandler had LA, Hammett had San Francisco. Newman has the CoL. Definitely easier to jog in a day. Although under the circumstances it would be tougher than one might assume. 1947 London is enduring one of the coldest winters ever, and all that snow, a special and long-lasting delivery from a Siberian weather system, and right at the beginning of the Cold War. (Maybe a pre-emptive attack?) An intentional counterpoint to the heat of the City of Angels. It is a time of shortages, food, fuel, soap, and most things needed to live, power outages, rationing, the fruits of victory no doubt, without the consolation of heroism. Somehow the well-to-do manage to find supplies denied the little people. He gets a call at an odd hour, on Christmas morning. Seems a Councilor, for whom he has never before worked, needs him to check out a crime scene, deliver some keys to a detective there, then report back. When the detective is not to be found, Newman starts pulling on the thread that we will spend the next few hundred pages unravelling. (Like carefully opening a tightly wrapped Christmas gift?) Deader in the lobby (called a porch here) of an old church. (On the first day of Christmas my true love gave to me, a dead fellow in a lobby) Candle still burning in the usual place inside. A nurse from nearby St Bart’s hospital had called it in.
The post-War CoL with a fluffy blanket - image from Roger’s site
Newman, tasked with delivering keys (not seasonally wrapped) to a detective at the site, but said detective having departed the scene, opts instead to use said keys, to the vic’s apartment. What he finds there gets the gears moving, and the game is afoot. No sooner have you dialed M for murder than the bodies start piling up like plowed snow, and Newman has to wonder if his own client has culpability. The questions pile up even faster. How long, for example, was the nurse inside the church before the pre-dawn shot to the head outside, and why didn’t she hear it?
Snowy London - image from the author’s site
Vice is front and center, as people with tastes that were considered a major no-no at the time are being blackmailed. But there is so much more going on. Of course, it may seem like very little to the locals, who have just endured the devastation of much of their city by our friends in Germany. Early Cold War London was rich with grift, corruption, ambition, and rubble. The City of London was considerably flattened. And, as has been made all too clear in the states, real estate development attracts the worst of the worst in human nature. Speaking of which, there is plenty of human nature on display here, indulging in all sorts of unpleasantness from garden-variety assault, to domestic violence, marital infidelity, a touch of human trafficking, police corruption, prostitution, blackmail, a dose of substance abuse, and enough backstabbing to justify proposing it as an Olympic sport.
Raymond Chandler - image from LA Taco
So what about our leading man? We can expect our PI to keep a supply of spirits close to hand, and Newman does not disappoint. We can expect that there will be times when he dives a bit too far into that bottle. Newman does not disappoint. We can expect that our PI is a tough guy, able to deliver as well as take a punch, or absorb blows from whatever sorts of objects may come into contact with his carcass. Newman does indeed uphold a knight errant code by approaching a deserving sort with an appropriate measure of violence, foolishly hoping to preclude further criminality. But he seems mostly on the receiving end, which is par for the course. We expect our knight-errant PI to have his heart in the right place, to do his best to look out for those who are least able to look out for themselves. Newman does not disappoint. We expect our PI to be dogged, continuing his quest even after it has become clear that such pursuit puts him in mortal peril. We expect that he can neither be bought off nor frightened away. Newman does not disappoint. We can expect that he is not really in it for the money, but that should some filthy lucre find its way to him, he will find a holy purpose for it. Newman does not disappoint. We expect our PI to be able to temper his moral urges with recognition of unfortunate realities. Newman does not disappoint.
Rubble around St Paul’s - image from Independent News
Rogers has a gift for crafting her supporting cast, the nurse who reported finding the body, the dodgy Councilor, his lush-ous daughter, his maybe dodgier lawyer, crooked cops, and on and on. Newman’s contacts are not exactly Burke’s Peerage (social-register to us Yanks) sorts, but are a delight, a barber, a sometime street-walker, a femme fatale of a doctor, whose side-job is pure fun, the mysterious mustachioed man who keeps turning up and then disappearing, abusive families, a cleric of questionable morality. This is joy, pure Christmas joy, but, like the best Christmas presents, this one can be enjoyed at any time of year. I do suggest, however, that you keep a digital or paper pad handy for tracking character names, particularly if you are reading the print version. There are more than a couple, and it would not do to be wondering who this is or trying to remember where you came across that one before. It is definitely worth the effort. Much easier, of course, in the e-book, where one can search at will. And there is no mistaking that the women in this tale are crucial to the events that transpire, with multiple facets, and sharp edges to match their softer curves.
A Central Line underground train entering Epping Station, during heavy snowfall at the height of 1947’s freeze - image from The Daily Mail
==========In the summer of 2019 GR reduced the allowable review size by 25%, from 20,000 to 15,000 characters. In order to accommodate the text beyond that I have moved it to the comments section directly below, with thanks to Mike Coyne for accommodating my request to supersede his comment.
November 12, 2019
Debut author Janet Roger uncannily channels the likes of hard boiled detective authors such as Raymond Chandler in this gritty post war historical crime novel set in 1947 in a desperately freezing, snowy and fog ridden London. The cool shamus in question is American PI Newman, called early on Christmas morning by a new client, a city grandee, Councilor Drake, that has him visiting the scene of the murder of Raymond Jarrett, a blackmailer and pimp, shot dead outside a church, living in a apartment rented out by Drake. His body is discovered by nurse, Estelle Greer, but DI McAlestor that Newman is supposed to meet is not there. So begins a complicated investigation for Newman in the bombed out wreckage of a gloomy ration book city, impoverished, colourless, with its powerful elites, and dirty, corrupt, brutal police officers, less interested in the truth and investigation, looking instead for convenient patsies as the bodies begin to pile up.
The small square mile of the City of London is looking to reconstruct and redevelop the financial heart of a Britain in the throes of losing its empire and its currency in crisis. Such projects offers opportunities for the already wealthy and racketeers to enrich themselves further and profiteer, a greed that does not look kindly on obstacles that stand in their way. Newman founds himself negotiating the powerful and influential, including his client, with their secrets and lies. The charismatic advising archaeologist to the city, Professor Garfield, is missing, a man with a penchant for young men, including his assistant, Henry Beaufort, a member of an influential aristocratic family. As Newman finds himself on the end of terrifying violence, he finds help from an unlikely source, the temporary medical examiner, Dr Kathryn Swinford, in his search for the truth.
Janet Roger engages in impeccable research in this atmospheric and moreish historical novel with its diverse skilfully depicted range of characters, its sharp and often witty dialogue, and lyrical prose. For a debut, this is astonishingly good, with all the requisite elements that comprise hard boiled detective fiction, all done with style and panache. It has the political intrigue, the glamorous dames, lies and sordid secrets, racketeers, a morally compromised police force and a PI that just will not give up, no matter the brutal beatings he undergoes or the financial carrots on offer. If you are a fan of hard boiled classic detective fiction, then this is an absolute must read. Many thanks to Troubadour Publishing for an ARC.
The small square mile of the City of London is looking to reconstruct and redevelop the financial heart of a Britain in the throes of losing its empire and its currency in crisis. Such projects offers opportunities for the already wealthy and racketeers to enrich themselves further and profiteer, a greed that does not look kindly on obstacles that stand in their way. Newman founds himself negotiating the powerful and influential, including his client, with their secrets and lies. The charismatic advising archaeologist to the city, Professor Garfield, is missing, a man with a penchant for young men, including his assistant, Henry Beaufort, a member of an influential aristocratic family. As Newman finds himself on the end of terrifying violence, he finds help from an unlikely source, the temporary medical examiner, Dr Kathryn Swinford, in his search for the truth.
Janet Roger engages in impeccable research in this atmospheric and moreish historical novel with its diverse skilfully depicted range of characters, its sharp and often witty dialogue, and lyrical prose. For a debut, this is astonishingly good, with all the requisite elements that comprise hard boiled detective fiction, all done with style and panache. It has the political intrigue, the glamorous dames, lies and sordid secrets, racketeers, a morally compromised police force and a PI that just will not give up, no matter the brutal beatings he undergoes or the financial carrots on offer. If you are a fan of hard boiled classic detective fiction, then this is an absolute must read. Many thanks to Troubadour Publishing for an ARC.
September 24, 2024
When I was a young man in 1969, upon my zombified release from the Royally Awful Psych Hospital I was every bit as countercultural as Shamus Dust.
I wanted only to be a Fly in the Establishment's Ointment! So what if the state had had its reasons? Didn't jive with mine.
My Mom (may she rest in peace) turned to me and looked me square in the eye, sitting there in our state-of-the-Art Teak Living Room in the wintry dawn of the Nineteen-Seventies.
That ugly late November before she jetted me away for some R and R to the sunny Caribbean (once there, when we arrived my every bead of sweat froze in my Chlorpromazine Catatonia) she wanted to put the fear of God into me...
"You can't Fight City Hall!" she reasoned - from her weary, extensive experience doing just that - as Chief Librarian for the soon-to-be City of Nepean.
Finally words that made sense, I thought.
"You've just gotta work WITHIN the System!"
Now, I have always obeyed my parents.
So I did just that, signing up three years later as a gypsy-scholar with the Defiance Department. Cuz that was who I was. And being a dumb Hippie, I burnt out at it, after 31 years.
Well, that burn-out wised me up something awful.
Hell's jaws then expectorated me.
***
Arrival at the Gates of Purgatory promises peace to all who enter therein. Tell me if I am not glad to finally flaunt my innocence before the jaded eyes of Shamus Dust, the Royally Awful medicos, and the Department of Defiance!
Oh well, each of them had his or her reasons.
Shamus' able excuse is City Hall doesn't deserve the sweat, blood and tears he excretes in his Battle Royal with that monolith. That's reasonable.
London's an awfully big place. Shamus' sweat is not noticed there. Everyone is self-possessed in London and City Hall does have its reasons.
Silencing dissent is its only option when it contacts Shamus (with some very large caveats about playing a defensive cameo). That's Realpolitik. Shamus, though has Moral Presence In a town that couldn’t care less.
So Shamus persists in unburying the bodies, as I continue plowing through this book.
With enough persistence he may (assuming fictional characters possess a ghostly meta-reality) in time escape the losing city of angels for the winsome Angelic Heavenly City!
While I continue with my reading of it, to see if Meta-Shamus could use my prayers, I’ll hold off until I see how his misadventures pan out.
***
Yes, Shamus is a Purgatorial candidate for a great many more Ordeals by Fire. He never says never. That’s the ticket!
Folks who don’t read the fine print of life need not try to escape zombiehood. They’ll have second thoughts when Hell Freezes Over. But then it will be too late.
You know, my guardian Angel Lee Ann Womack once cheered me on over the radio when I was in the Dark Depths of Burnout…
I hope you never fear those mountains in the distance
Never settle for the path of least resistance
Livin’ might be takin’ chances but they’re worth takin’
And when you get the chance to sit it out or dance…
I hope you DANCE!
Shamus Refuses to stop Dancing through the Brit bureaucratic maze.
And one day he may REJOICE, the day the Guilty are Punished.
I wanted only to be a Fly in the Establishment's Ointment! So what if the state had had its reasons? Didn't jive with mine.
My Mom (may she rest in peace) turned to me and looked me square in the eye, sitting there in our state-of-the-Art Teak Living Room in the wintry dawn of the Nineteen-Seventies.
That ugly late November before she jetted me away for some R and R to the sunny Caribbean (once there, when we arrived my every bead of sweat froze in my Chlorpromazine Catatonia) she wanted to put the fear of God into me...
"You can't Fight City Hall!" she reasoned - from her weary, extensive experience doing just that - as Chief Librarian for the soon-to-be City of Nepean.
Finally words that made sense, I thought.
"You've just gotta work WITHIN the System!"
Now, I have always obeyed my parents.
So I did just that, signing up three years later as a gypsy-scholar with the Defiance Department. Cuz that was who I was. And being a dumb Hippie, I burnt out at it, after 31 years.
Well, that burn-out wised me up something awful.
Hell's jaws then expectorated me.
***
Arrival at the Gates of Purgatory promises peace to all who enter therein. Tell me if I am not glad to finally flaunt my innocence before the jaded eyes of Shamus Dust, the Royally Awful medicos, and the Department of Defiance!
Oh well, each of them had his or her reasons.
Shamus' able excuse is City Hall doesn't deserve the sweat, blood and tears he excretes in his Battle Royal with that monolith. That's reasonable.
London's an awfully big place. Shamus' sweat is not noticed there. Everyone is self-possessed in London and City Hall does have its reasons.
Silencing dissent is its only option when it contacts Shamus (with some very large caveats about playing a defensive cameo). That's Realpolitik. Shamus, though has Moral Presence In a town that couldn’t care less.
So Shamus persists in unburying the bodies, as I continue plowing through this book.
With enough persistence he may (assuming fictional characters possess a ghostly meta-reality) in time escape the losing city of angels for the winsome Angelic Heavenly City!
While I continue with my reading of it, to see if Meta-Shamus could use my prayers, I’ll hold off until I see how his misadventures pan out.
***
Yes, Shamus is a Purgatorial candidate for a great many more Ordeals by Fire. He never says never. That’s the ticket!
Folks who don’t read the fine print of life need not try to escape zombiehood. They’ll have second thoughts when Hell Freezes Over. But then it will be too late.
You know, my guardian Angel Lee Ann Womack once cheered me on over the radio when I was in the Dark Depths of Burnout…
I hope you never fear those mountains in the distance
Never settle for the path of least resistance
Livin’ might be takin’ chances but they’re worth takin’
And when you get the chance to sit it out or dance…
I hope you DANCE!
Shamus Refuses to stop Dancing through the Brit bureaucratic maze.
And one day he may REJOICE, the day the Guilty are Punished.
January 23, 2024
"...nothing is the way it looks,..."
If you're a fan of noir mysteries, you'll surely enjoy Janet Roger's Shamus Dust. If, like me, you're new to noir mysteries, you'll probably still find it to be a pleasurable read. Noir mystery enthusiasts will definitely give this book a solid rating. As you read the first half of this book, be aware that it's the second half that moves the action into high gear as we progress to a solution to the mystery that's topnotch.
Although I'm embarrassed to admit that Shamus Dust is my first noir mystery, it's by no means my first mystery. Down through the years I've read numerous stories and books featuring the likes of Frank and Joe Hardy, Sherlock Holmes, Hercule Poirot, Rabbi David Small, and numerous other detectives with strong personalities including Nick and Nora Charles. Then, of course, there's Deputy Sheriff Constance Kopp and Sheriffs Longmire and Mathias. Not to mention sundry United States marshalls.
The noir fiction Wikipedia page states that noir mysteries have "a marked darkness in theme and subject matter, generally featuring a disturbing mixture of sex and violence." There also tends to be lots of smoking and drinking.
The Wikipedia page warns us not to confuse noir mysteries with "hardboiled detective" mysteries; although, personally, I see no reason why a noir mystery cannot have a hardboiled detective. However, I don't know whether I would call the detective in this story, Mr. Newman, hardboiled or not. But Newman is definitely not softboiled. Perhaps well-seasoned would be the right term.
In Shamus Dust, there is violence and sexual tension, but given that we rarely witness the violence and the sexual tension is pleasurable, I didn't find either disturbing.
The story starts on a Christmas morning "in 1947, in the snowbound, war-scarred City of London" after a murder spree begins. It begins with the first and second murder. A bit later, we have the third and fourth. Where and when will it end?
Mr. Newman, our private detective in Shamus Dust, is like all great sleuths. He's full of wisdom and great insights. For example, he states, "...thinking is like putting ice on a hangover---when finally you get around to it, you know you should have tried it sooner."
Smoking cigarettes and drinking booze are both basic components of the noir genre. Personally, they're my least favorite aspects of the noir mystery genre. Oddly, I find murder and mayhem less unsettling than the smoking of cigarettes.
Whether you're an old hand or newbie when it comes to noir mysteries, I suspect you'll find Janet Roger's Shamus Dust to be a mystery worth unraveling.
If you're a fan of noir mysteries, you'll surely enjoy Janet Roger's Shamus Dust. If, like me, you're new to noir mysteries, you'll probably still find it to be a pleasurable read. Noir mystery enthusiasts will definitely give this book a solid rating. As you read the first half of this book, be aware that it's the second half that moves the action into high gear as we progress to a solution to the mystery that's topnotch.
Although I'm embarrassed to admit that Shamus Dust is my first noir mystery, it's by no means my first mystery. Down through the years I've read numerous stories and books featuring the likes of Frank and Joe Hardy, Sherlock Holmes, Hercule Poirot, Rabbi David Small, and numerous other detectives with strong personalities including Nick and Nora Charles. Then, of course, there's Deputy Sheriff Constance Kopp and Sheriffs Longmire and Mathias. Not to mention sundry United States marshalls.
The noir fiction Wikipedia page states that noir mysteries have "a marked darkness in theme and subject matter, generally featuring a disturbing mixture of sex and violence." There also tends to be lots of smoking and drinking.
The Wikipedia page warns us not to confuse noir mysteries with "hardboiled detective" mysteries; although, personally, I see no reason why a noir mystery cannot have a hardboiled detective. However, I don't know whether I would call the detective in this story, Mr. Newman, hardboiled or not. But Newman is definitely not softboiled. Perhaps well-seasoned would be the right term.
In Shamus Dust, there is violence and sexual tension, but given that we rarely witness the violence and the sexual tension is pleasurable, I didn't find either disturbing.
The story starts on a Christmas morning "in 1947, in the snowbound, war-scarred City of London" after a murder spree begins. It begins with the first and second murder. A bit later, we have the third and fourth. Where and when will it end?
Mr. Newman, our private detective in Shamus Dust, is like all great sleuths. He's full of wisdom and great insights. For example, he states, "...thinking is like putting ice on a hangover---when finally you get around to it, you know you should have tried it sooner."
Smoking cigarettes and drinking booze are both basic components of the noir genre. Personally, they're my least favorite aspects of the noir mystery genre. Oddly, I find murder and mayhem less unsettling than the smoking of cigarettes.
Whether you're an old hand or newbie when it comes to noir mysteries, I suspect you'll find Janet Roger's Shamus Dust to be a mystery worth unraveling.
February 15, 2024
On a bitterly cold, snowy Christmas morning in 1947 London, Councilor Drake received a phone call from City Police in reference to an incident at one of his properties. Drake summoned the assistance of American PI Newman to deliver apartment keys to the detective inspector waiting at the site. Why would councilor Drake offer an exorbitant fee to Newman for his services? So starts this hard-boiled, historical crime novel set in the City of London amongst a square mile of bombed-out buildings.
The incident...a torso lying twisted under a bench...near St. Bart's Church. The body was found by Nurse Greer who called in the murder before she left for work. Unable to locate the detective inspector, PI Newman used the key to enter the apartment and found "the Councilor's tenant was a collector of photographs...Not the kind of photographs that get taken at garden parties...". Nurse Greer's body would soon be found. Were the murders connected?
PI Newman, as narrator, gets more than he bargained for. Seemingly thwarted by corrupt police, he will not be denied as he navigates the following trail which includes:
*Archaeological photography showing outlines of possible Roman ruins
*Redevelopment plans for the Corporate Center of London, indifferent to indications of Roman
ruins
*A haberdasher crafting one-of-a-kind items
*High risk lifestyles as well as a marriage of convenience
*Willingness of corrupt police to pin the murders on a scapegoat...case closed!
*Sparks between Newman and the acting medical examiner
Truth be told, this was the right read selected for the wrong reason. This reader intended to choose a light-weight detective novel and was pleasantly surprised and thoroughly delighted with this choice! It was far from lightweight! Debut novelist Janet Roger has painstakingly researched and recreated a novel of the aftermath of World War II London. We are privy to the populace in all walks of life; those occupying the underbelly of society, as well as the greedy elite, exhibiting corrupt and underhanded behavior and dishing out murder and mayhem. To suggest that this read is just a case of Christmas Holiday Murders would be selling this whodunit short.
"Shamus Dust" is a literary/ historical fiction read as well as a well plotted crime novel. The descriptive passages transport the reader to the brutal frost of snowy 1947 London at Christmastime. A large cast of characters are interwoven within the story and add to the multiple twists and turns. The reader is always directed back to consider the evidence. Author Roger had created a slow burn of a "Chandler-like" novel requiring attention to detail for maximum enjoyment. Highly recommended.
The incident...a torso lying twisted under a bench...near St. Bart's Church. The body was found by Nurse Greer who called in the murder before she left for work. Unable to locate the detective inspector, PI Newman used the key to enter the apartment and found "the Councilor's tenant was a collector of photographs...Not the kind of photographs that get taken at garden parties...". Nurse Greer's body would soon be found. Were the murders connected?
PI Newman, as narrator, gets more than he bargained for. Seemingly thwarted by corrupt police, he will not be denied as he navigates the following trail which includes:
*Archaeological photography showing outlines of possible Roman ruins
*Redevelopment plans for the Corporate Center of London, indifferent to indications of Roman
ruins
*A haberdasher crafting one-of-a-kind items
*High risk lifestyles as well as a marriage of convenience
*Willingness of corrupt police to pin the murders on a scapegoat...case closed!
*Sparks between Newman and the acting medical examiner
Truth be told, this was the right read selected for the wrong reason. This reader intended to choose a light-weight detective novel and was pleasantly surprised and thoroughly delighted with this choice! It was far from lightweight! Debut novelist Janet Roger has painstakingly researched and recreated a novel of the aftermath of World War II London. We are privy to the populace in all walks of life; those occupying the underbelly of society, as well as the greedy elite, exhibiting corrupt and underhanded behavior and dishing out murder and mayhem. To suggest that this read is just a case of Christmas Holiday Murders would be selling this whodunit short.
"Shamus Dust" is a literary/ historical fiction read as well as a well plotted crime novel. The descriptive passages transport the reader to the brutal frost of snowy 1947 London at Christmastime. A large cast of characters are interwoven within the story and add to the multiple twists and turns. The reader is always directed back to consider the evidence. Author Roger had created a slow burn of a "Chandler-like" novel requiring attention to detail for maximum enjoyment. Highly recommended.
January 23, 2024
If the following snippets grab your attention, then this novel could be your next:
“She had a high, clear forehead and a mouth that might have a spectacular smile. Just not here or for now.”
“Cold sober he looked brittle as a relic, his complexion an unvaried shade of wet gravel.”
“…two paintings in the center of each of the blank walls, one gray on white, the other white on gray to ring the changes. They might have been Picassos from his plumbing period. Or a layout for steam pipes in an igloo. Either way they gave the room the all-round charm of an automated milking parlor.”
“I didn’t knock or put on the light, just walked inside and followed the sounds of an orchestra that came and went in waves so canned and hollow they might have been playing between decks in a submarine.”
There are far better reviews and I can add little to them. They all point to sassy, taught and thrilling storytelling reminiscent of the Hollywood film noir, throwbacks to smoke-filled haunts. Janet Roger knows how to drip feed the events (yet, sometimes the information comes in a gush and pushes the story along like a fast train). The reader has little choice but to keep pace.
I would add the landscape of post-WWII London is a character in its own right. Mostly a gloomy setting, the writing allowed me to feel the winter chill, the uncomfortable scenes of flattened buildings, their slow reconstruction struggling to hold back the past or hide the city’s underbelly of vice.
I imagine Alfred Hitchcock would have panted over a scriptwriter’s submission for this, lining up his 1940s Hollywood stars and having a say in which talented composer to recruit for the eerie and dramatic film score: “I’ll shoot it in black and white, old boy. Can’t have colour interfering with the all that London fog and grime, can we?”
“She had a high, clear forehead and a mouth that might have a spectacular smile. Just not here or for now.”
“Cold sober he looked brittle as a relic, his complexion an unvaried shade of wet gravel.”
“…two paintings in the center of each of the blank walls, one gray on white, the other white on gray to ring the changes. They might have been Picassos from his plumbing period. Or a layout for steam pipes in an igloo. Either way they gave the room the all-round charm of an automated milking parlor.”
“I didn’t knock or put on the light, just walked inside and followed the sounds of an orchestra that came and went in waves so canned and hollow they might have been playing between decks in a submarine.”
There are far better reviews and I can add little to them. They all point to sassy, taught and thrilling storytelling reminiscent of the Hollywood film noir, throwbacks to smoke-filled haunts. Janet Roger knows how to drip feed the events (yet, sometimes the information comes in a gush and pushes the story along like a fast train). The reader has little choice but to keep pace.
I would add the landscape of post-WWII London is a character in its own right. Mostly a gloomy setting, the writing allowed me to feel the winter chill, the uncomfortable scenes of flattened buildings, their slow reconstruction struggling to hold back the past or hide the city’s underbelly of vice.
I imagine Alfred Hitchcock would have panted over a scriptwriter’s submission for this, lining up his 1940s Hollywood stars and having a say in which talented composer to recruit for the eerie and dramatic film score: “I’ll shoot it in black and white, old boy. Can’t have colour interfering with the all that London fog and grime, can we?”
April 20, 2024
4.2 "stylish, slick, sophisticated" stars !!
A warm thank you to the author for an ecopy. This was released October 2019. I am providing an honest review.
There is so much that is superb about this debut historical mystery that I am a bit shocked that this is a first novel. This takes place in post war London over the course of a week where our PI Newman is investigating a murder that will reveal blackmail, betrayals, corruption and of course lead to more murders.... The plot is superbly well constructed, rich in atmosphere and historical detail. We meet politicians, architects, a female coroner, male hustlers, femme fatales and ingenues.
The book is erudite, complex and full of compelling and intriguing details...
The prose is immensely artful and stylish but occasionally misses the mark by being overly clever which briefly took this reader out of the zone...
In most ways this is a five star book but I would have liked to see a deepened psychological profile of the protagonists rather than noir renderings. My enjoyment although quite high was not always uniform. Despite these minor quibbles ...this was a historical mystery of exceptional quality.
Thanks again Ms. Roger and I am ever so curious as to what you are working on next...
PS.....a notebook and pen come in handy as you are reading....
February 28, 2024
I was very lucky to be approached by the Author to give an ebook review. My first request so I was delighted. Unfortunately, I couldn’t open the file. But that didn’t stop me…I bought the book on Amazon and I am glad I did.
I am a sucker for detective novels, for Sam Spade or Charlie Parker types and particularly for stories set in snow and ice. This one is set in the London freeze of 1947. You can feel the cold as you read. The imagery of a post war London in terms of buildings, streets, fashion and class is well developed.
The story is fast paced and at times complex but that just means you need to keep on your toes. The prose is rich and some of the adjectives had me leaping to the dictionary at times. It was also nice to see Scotch whisky correctly referred to. Not the whiskey that is mistakenly used by Americans. But then I believe the Author is Canadian so that might explain things.
The story hero PI Newman is a gumshoe in the Sam Spade tradition. Wise cracking, clever and tenacious. He would have been better carrying plasters, bandages and paracetamol every time he ventured out. But he and the writing is at a more intellectual’ level to Spade or Raymond Chandler. This is a book to be sipped…like a good single malt.
I am glad I bought the book. Glad my wife didn’t catch me doing so and doesn’t read my reviews. I look forward to a long line of sequels👍
I am a sucker for detective novels, for Sam Spade or Charlie Parker types and particularly for stories set in snow and ice. This one is set in the London freeze of 1947. You can feel the cold as you read. The imagery of a post war London in terms of buildings, streets, fashion and class is well developed.
The story is fast paced and at times complex but that just means you need to keep on your toes. The prose is rich and some of the adjectives had me leaping to the dictionary at times. It was also nice to see Scotch whisky correctly referred to. Not the whiskey that is mistakenly used by Americans. But then I believe the Author is Canadian so that might explain things.
The story hero PI Newman is a gumshoe in the Sam Spade tradition. Wise cracking, clever and tenacious. He would have been better carrying plasters, bandages and paracetamol every time he ventured out. But he and the writing is at a more intellectual’ level to Spade or Raymond Chandler. This is a book to be sipped…like a good single malt.
I am glad I bought the book. Glad my wife didn’t catch me doing so and doesn’t read my reviews. I look forward to a long line of sequels👍
August 31, 2019
Shamus Dust is one of those unexpected surprises. When you open up this box, don't assume it's just another wannabe-Hardboiled tale. Set in post-war London with a third of the city bombed out ruins and folks still recovering from wartime separation, these dark gloomy streets are a treacherous warren of intrigue. Murder, corruption, scandal are here in force. And, it will take more than just ordinary wits to decipher what's up and who-done-it. Written in rich, thick prose that you could get lost in, this is a spectacular journey. Don't make the mistake of skimming anything, there's a lot on every page and all of it is important. Don't blink or you might miss something important. A very impressive debut indeed.
August 31, 2020
Be in no doubt, Janet Roger can write, and write extremely well. Every sentence of 'Shamus Dust: Hard Winter, Cold War, Cool Murder' is a zinger, every word deliberate and every twist and turn plotted to perfection.
This is a hard-boiled book that takes Chandler and Hammett as inspiration and runs with it, gleefully and reverentially. All the correct tropes are present - the down-at-heel, wise-cracking P.I., the femme fatale, the labyrinthine plot, the dubious love interest, political intrigue, the underbelly of the squalid city beneath the neon lights of the rich and powerful, romance and plenty of murder and convoluted motives.
It's easy to see that the author is a fan of this style of fiction, and this is a labour of love. There's murder afoot in London and an American private investigator is caught right in the middle of it when a powerful councillor asks him to look into it. Like the best books in this genre, the plot is intricate and sometimes difficult to follow - as it should be. People lie, obfuscate and double-cross and at the heart of it our dogged P.I. strives to get to the truth. Critically, even if you feel lost at points, by the end the denouement makes sense and satisfies.
This book is almost perfect. There is an incongruity in the setting of the story in post-World War II London where every character appears and sounds like they've just stepped out of Los Angeles in the 1930s. Our hero is American and narrates the story, but it's still odd that everyone else speaks like him and uses American slang. It's easy to forget this is set in London. The only other minor quibble is the density of the writing. So much work has gone into the writing that occasionally it feels over-written and a simple description would do instead of so much detail, no matter how well written it is. But don't let this distract from the overall joy of this book. It has been written with love and care and by an extremely talented writer who deserves wide recognition.
If you like your crime hard-boiled and cynical, this is a must. Perfect for those who love the classics of Raymond Chandler and Dashiell Hammett, and a great introduction to the style for those yet to experience it. Highly recommended.
This is a hard-boiled book that takes Chandler and Hammett as inspiration and runs with it, gleefully and reverentially. All the correct tropes are present - the down-at-heel, wise-cracking P.I., the femme fatale, the labyrinthine plot, the dubious love interest, political intrigue, the underbelly of the squalid city beneath the neon lights of the rich and powerful, romance and plenty of murder and convoluted motives.
It's easy to see that the author is a fan of this style of fiction, and this is a labour of love. There's murder afoot in London and an American private investigator is caught right in the middle of it when a powerful councillor asks him to look into it. Like the best books in this genre, the plot is intricate and sometimes difficult to follow - as it should be. People lie, obfuscate and double-cross and at the heart of it our dogged P.I. strives to get to the truth. Critically, even if you feel lost at points, by the end the denouement makes sense and satisfies.
This book is almost perfect. There is an incongruity in the setting of the story in post-World War II London where every character appears and sounds like they've just stepped out of Los Angeles in the 1930s. Our hero is American and narrates the story, but it's still odd that everyone else speaks like him and uses American slang. It's easy to forget this is set in London. The only other minor quibble is the density of the writing. So much work has gone into the writing that occasionally it feels over-written and a simple description would do instead of so much detail, no matter how well written it is. But don't let this distract from the overall joy of this book. It has been written with love and care and by an extremely talented writer who deserves wide recognition.
If you like your crime hard-boiled and cynical, this is a must. Perfect for those who love the classics of Raymond Chandler and Dashiell Hammett, and a great introduction to the style for those yet to experience it. Highly recommended.
March 6, 2020
This amazing eventful book has been my very first experience with this author, and I have to say that it has been a very thrilling and entertaining one.
Story-telling by this author is of a superb quality, all the characters come splendidly to life within this crime thriller, and besides that the gloomy, dark atmosphere and sinister parts of London in 1947 come gloriously off the pages.
It's a fast-paced and action-packed detective/crime thriller which starts off with a big bang and keeps you spellbound right till the end.
The story starts off in London in 1947, when PI Mr Newman gets a phone-call from Councillor Drake to start investigating a case that seems to have occurred in one of his propertie
After arriving there PI Newman soon discovers a body of a murdered man, Raymond Jarrett, close by lying in the porch of a church, and his death is closely followed with the killings of Dillys Valentine, Prof Michael Garfield, and Nurse, Estelle Greer.
What is certain is that all four murders are connected with each other, the connection being aristocratic power, huge property and big money, while Police DI McAlester is also playing a sinister part with his investigations and actions concerning these murders by only suspecting and condemning, Henry Beaufort, while PI Newman has someone entirely else in his mind and vision.
What is to follow is an action-packed detective/crime thriller into which PI Newman will have to come up with a scheme to make his investigations and results work in an attempt to find the truth behind these killings and so in the end being able to unravel the surprising murderer.
Very much recommended, because this is a gripping detective/crime thriller and in my view a must-read for lovers of this kind of fiction, I for one look forward to this author's next instalment, and that's why I want to call this book: "A Terrific Debut Detective/Crime Thriller"!
**I like to thank the author for my digital copy of this book in exchange for an unbiased and honest review!**
Story-telling by this author is of a superb quality, all the characters come splendidly to life within this crime thriller, and besides that the gloomy, dark atmosphere and sinister parts of London in 1947 come gloriously off the pages.
It's a fast-paced and action-packed detective/crime thriller which starts off with a big bang and keeps you spellbound right till the end.
The story starts off in London in 1947, when PI Mr Newman gets a phone-call from Councillor Drake to start investigating a case that seems to have occurred in one of his propertie
After arriving there PI Newman soon discovers a body of a murdered man, Raymond Jarrett, close by lying in the porch of a church, and his death is closely followed with the killings of Dillys Valentine, Prof Michael Garfield, and Nurse, Estelle Greer.
What is certain is that all four murders are connected with each other, the connection being aristocratic power, huge property and big money, while Police DI McAlester is also playing a sinister part with his investigations and actions concerning these murders by only suspecting and condemning, Henry Beaufort, while PI Newman has someone entirely else in his mind and vision.
What is to follow is an action-packed detective/crime thriller into which PI Newman will have to come up with a scheme to make his investigations and results work in an attempt to find the truth behind these killings and so in the end being able to unravel the surprising murderer.
Very much recommended, because this is a gripping detective/crime thriller and in my view a must-read for lovers of this kind of fiction, I for one look forward to this author's next instalment, and that's why I want to call this book: "A Terrific Debut Detective/Crime Thriller"!
**I like to thank the author for my digital copy of this book in exchange for an unbiased and honest review!**
October 28, 2019
I have read a multitude of crime fiction debuts over the years, and they rate anywhere from abysmal right through to astounding. I am pleased to inform that this is another of those rare gems to add to the "astonishing debuts" shelf; in fact, the most fitting terminology to describe this cracker of a book is a masterpiece. It is one of those books I know I will re-read, something I almost never do, purely because the detail Ms Roger's supplies throughout deserves more than the one glance. I also remember ruminating on whether I wanted to pick it up because it takes place at Christmas, and I am not a fan of anything to do with the Christmas season; boy, am I glad that I made the right decision as I would have seriously missed out otherwise.
The plot is a real complex, beautifully-wrought beast and grips from the get-go without any problems at all. The various interlinked plot threads are thought-through so incredibly that I was flabbergasted by the intricacy and forethought illustrated here by a first-time author. However, at no point, does she stray into making it too complicated; this is quite the feat if you ask me. I am not going to regurgitate the synopsis as I feel the one provided is sufficient and that many will appreciate the intentional vagueness as it allows you to discover everything as a single, coherent experience. It evokes the sights, scents and sounds of the time and place it depicts, the dreary post-war chaos of London circa 1947, and although I loved many aspects this historical accuracy was one of my favourite parts.
This is a book that not only has the thrills and spills to keep your heart-rate rising but the tension creates a superb uneasy atmosphere and the substance and writing is present to back it all up. This is a hard-boiled historical crime novel with subtlety and sophistication lacing its every page. A must-read for all crime fans who enjoy compulsively readable crime and those with an appreciation of beautifully lyrical prose. Unreservedly recommended. Many thanks to Matador & Janet Roger for an ARC.
The plot is a real complex, beautifully-wrought beast and grips from the get-go without any problems at all. The various interlinked plot threads are thought-through so incredibly that I was flabbergasted by the intricacy and forethought illustrated here by a first-time author. However, at no point, does she stray into making it too complicated; this is quite the feat if you ask me. I am not going to regurgitate the synopsis as I feel the one provided is sufficient and that many will appreciate the intentional vagueness as it allows you to discover everything as a single, coherent experience. It evokes the sights, scents and sounds of the time and place it depicts, the dreary post-war chaos of London circa 1947, and although I loved many aspects this historical accuracy was one of my favourite parts.
This is a book that not only has the thrills and spills to keep your heart-rate rising but the tension creates a superb uneasy atmosphere and the substance and writing is present to back it all up. This is a hard-boiled historical crime novel with subtlety and sophistication lacing its every page. A must-read for all crime fans who enjoy compulsively readable crime and those with an appreciation of beautifully lyrical prose. Unreservedly recommended. Many thanks to Matador & Janet Roger for an ARC.
February 8, 2020
Not your typical thriller read and I Loved It!!! The writing was crisp, clear and addicting! The characters were amazing and you just don’t want the story to end. Amazing
March 14, 2024
What an exquisite book! Janet Roger writes so beautifully—precise, poetic, richly visual, and impossible to put down. The story, set in the still depressed and bombed-out one-square-mile known as The City of London, around Christmas 1947, is entirely plausible. I knew it was a novel but I always had the sense that it actually happened. I love the fact that the hero, a private dick (or shamus) called (significantly) Newman is American. That allows the clipped, cynical, noir style of dialogue—good enough for Philip Marlow or Sam Spade—to seem as much at home in London as in Los Angeles. But Newman, despite his tough guy persona and noir roots, is, underneath it all, a kind and honest man. Thank God! I hate antiheroes. Unfortunately he does have to suffer a beating or two.
September 11, 2019
Thank you to Troubador Publishing Ltd. And Author Janet Roger for my advance copy of Shamus Dust, in exchange for my review
This is an author that I have not heard of, or read before. I found her style of writing very sophisticated and classic.
The books starts of in 1947, in the post war city of London, with a killing being investigated.
A book that you must read slowly and not rush through. A very impressive debut for this author
This is an author that I have not heard of, or read before. I found her style of writing very sophisticated and classic.
The books starts of in 1947, in the post war city of London, with a killing being investigated.
A book that you must read slowly and not rush through. A very impressive debut for this author
February 24, 2024
Noir mystery with an catchy title;
I was befriended by the Author, Janet Roger, and after a few friendly chats, she gifted me a digital copy of her book.
I love historical fiction and murder. So this was right up my alley.
Set in the 1940’s during the Cold War era, Newman receives a phone call and so begins Shamus Dust.
I had a bit of trouble in the beginning with the verbiage and flow, but I caught on and it picked up quick.
This really was a great whodunnit. It put me in the mind of “Clue”. It has the beautiful, the bold, the wealthy, the crook, the lovers, and the professor…what did he see that got him killed?
I enjoyed the ending and the fact that this kept me guessing and engaged.
A must read for any Noir Mystery fan!
I was befriended by the Author, Janet Roger, and after a few friendly chats, she gifted me a digital copy of her book.
I love historical fiction and murder. So this was right up my alley.
Set in the 1940’s during the Cold War era, Newman receives a phone call and so begins Shamus Dust.
I had a bit of trouble in the beginning with the verbiage and flow, but I caught on and it picked up quick.
This really was a great whodunnit. It put me in the mind of “Clue”. It has the beautiful, the bold, the wealthy, the crook, the lovers, and the professor…what did he see that got him killed?
I enjoyed the ending and the fact that this kept me guessing and engaged.
A must read for any Noir Mystery fan!
December 30, 2023
Outstanding debut novel mixing detective fiction and historical fiction with a liberal dose of noir atmospherics
Shamus Dust is a surprisingly good debut detective novel, one of the best mystery debuts I have read. It's no accident that this fine noir detective mystery echoes Raymond Chandler's Marlowe novels. The author, Janet Roger, is a fan of Chandler's Marlowe and wanted her debut to pay homage to Chandler's creation. The title, Shamus Dust, adds to the tribute with a double meaning--Shamus meaning detective and Dust referring to both the classic, pulpy Chandler crime fiction era and the archaeology angle that contributes an intriguing plot twist to what would otherwise be a cut and dry blackmail/murder mystery. The plot (at least at the beginning) is evocative of The Big Sleep with its sordid extortion conspiracy involving back alley porn, pimps, and blackmail. The elements of the plot are too complicated to summarize and I would only end up spoiling it for the reader. So suffice to say, our intrepid protagonist, an American ex-pat PI named Newman living in post-war London, is pulled into a murder mystery that eventually takes him from the sleazy side of London's back alley street denizens to the inner chambers of high finance and municipal government of the City of London.
Janet Roger is a British writer so her decision to set the story in 1947 London seems like a no-brainer. But its a clever way to re-cast Marlowe as Newman in a very different environment than Chandler's Southern California. There is irony here as Chandler was a British ex-pat who moved to the US to work in the oil industry before becoming a writer of detective novels set in Southern California. And this isn't just London as most Americans know it. This is 1947 London -- more specifically, the City of London, that one-square mile financial district within the original Roman Walls for which the entire world once revolved -- still scarred and defiled by German bombs, trying to get back on its feet, while re-discovering the original Roman City hiding under the rubble.
Roger manages to use descriptions of the city, its ruins, and its architectural/archaeological secrets to give the novel a very strong historical novel feel. But don't be put off by that. The dialogue channels the Chandler/Marlowe style of wise-guy, smart-aleck prose that made the Marlowe books fun to read. The only downside in this is that Roger writes like an English-person. Her English prose is sturdier than American English and occasionally a Chandler-esque turn of the phrase collides with a British colloquialism that just doesn't sit right to an American ear. But only occasionally.
This is not a light read. But it moves along at a nice clip with well=paced chapters. Janet Roger knows how to write descriptive prose and doesn't shy away from showing off her chops. All in all, this is a worthy read, highly recommended for those looking for noir atmospherics, witty dialogue, several mysteries wrapped around a bold conspiracy, and a feel for what London must have been like in the difficult years after WWII. Despite the realism and sleazy aspects of the plot, this novel is free of erotica and foul language. And so well written, it's unnecessary anyway.
Highly Recommended.
Shamus Dust is a surprisingly good debut detective novel, one of the best mystery debuts I have read. It's no accident that this fine noir detective mystery echoes Raymond Chandler's Marlowe novels. The author, Janet Roger, is a fan of Chandler's Marlowe and wanted her debut to pay homage to Chandler's creation. The title, Shamus Dust, adds to the tribute with a double meaning--Shamus meaning detective and Dust referring to both the classic, pulpy Chandler crime fiction era and the archaeology angle that contributes an intriguing plot twist to what would otherwise be a cut and dry blackmail/murder mystery. The plot (at least at the beginning) is evocative of The Big Sleep with its sordid extortion conspiracy involving back alley porn, pimps, and blackmail. The elements of the plot are too complicated to summarize and I would only end up spoiling it for the reader. So suffice to say, our intrepid protagonist, an American ex-pat PI named Newman living in post-war London, is pulled into a murder mystery that eventually takes him from the sleazy side of London's back alley street denizens to the inner chambers of high finance and municipal government of the City of London.
Janet Roger is a British writer so her decision to set the story in 1947 London seems like a no-brainer. But its a clever way to re-cast Marlowe as Newman in a very different environment than Chandler's Southern California. There is irony here as Chandler was a British ex-pat who moved to the US to work in the oil industry before becoming a writer of detective novels set in Southern California. And this isn't just London as most Americans know it. This is 1947 London -- more specifically, the City of London, that one-square mile financial district within the original Roman Walls for which the entire world once revolved -- still scarred and defiled by German bombs, trying to get back on its feet, while re-discovering the original Roman City hiding under the rubble.
Roger manages to use descriptions of the city, its ruins, and its architectural/archaeological secrets to give the novel a very strong historical novel feel. But don't be put off by that. The dialogue channels the Chandler/Marlowe style of wise-guy, smart-aleck prose that made the Marlowe books fun to read. The only downside in this is that Roger writes like an English-person. Her English prose is sturdier than American English and occasionally a Chandler-esque turn of the phrase collides with a British colloquialism that just doesn't sit right to an American ear. But only occasionally.
This is not a light read. But it moves along at a nice clip with well=paced chapters. Janet Roger knows how to write descriptive prose and doesn't shy away from showing off her chops. All in all, this is a worthy read, highly recommended for those looking for noir atmospherics, witty dialogue, several mysteries wrapped around a bold conspiracy, and a feel for what London must have been like in the difficult years after WWII. Despite the realism and sleazy aspects of the plot, this novel is free of erotica and foul language. And so well written, it's unnecessary anyway.
Highly Recommended.
August 11, 2020
Shamus Dust is a novel that took me completely by surprise. I went into this book completely blind and honestly I couldnt have been more pleased with the results.
Shamus Dust is NOT your typical thriller. So many current thrillers in 2020 seem to rehash over the same story lines. While I love a book about murdering a cheating spouse as much as the next person, it was refreshing to read something that wasnt so transparent. That said this novel was still loaded with characters and events that keeps you flipping the pages needing more. This book has a everything you have come to love and expect from a thriller and more! Shamus Dust is LOADED with lies, secrets, shady businessmen, corrupt police, murder and yes even some fueding lovers.
Shamus Dust is a slow burn that really makes you work to solve the mystery. It is a must-read for all crime and mystery fans.
I was very impressed by this debut. If Janet Roger wasnt on your radar before now she needs to be! It has come to my attention that there will be a sequel....what are you waiting for? Go read Shamus Dust right now!
I recieved a digital copy of this book from the Publisher in exchange for an honest review.
Shamus Dust is NOT your typical thriller. So many current thrillers in 2020 seem to rehash over the same story lines. While I love a book about murdering a cheating spouse as much as the next person, it was refreshing to read something that wasnt so transparent. That said this novel was still loaded with characters and events that keeps you flipping the pages needing more. This book has a everything you have come to love and expect from a thriller and more! Shamus Dust is LOADED with lies, secrets, shady businessmen, corrupt police, murder and yes even some fueding lovers.
Shamus Dust is a slow burn that really makes you work to solve the mystery. It is a must-read for all crime and mystery fans.
I was very impressed by this debut. If Janet Roger wasnt on your radar before now she needs to be! It has come to my attention that there will be a sequel....what are you waiting for? Go read Shamus Dust right now!
I recieved a digital copy of this book from the Publisher in exchange for an honest review.
April 9, 2024
Others have commented: Hard-boiled detective fiction at its best. I totally agree. The story was well crafted, the characters real and likeable. Others have also remarked the likeness to Raymond Chandler so, as a newbie to noir mysteries, I’m off to read The Big Sleep!
August 9, 2023
I had to read this twice and I’m still not sure how all the pieces fit together, though they miraculously did. It takes place in the City of London during the frigid winter of 1947-8; the atmosphere is meticulously crafted and pitch perfect, and the characters likewise are thoroughly believable.
Newman (if he had a first name I couldn’t find it) is a hardbitten American PI who has been in London for the last 20 or so years. His assignment is ridiculously simple: a City councillor asks him to hand over a set of keys of a flat that he owns, to a specific policeman who is at the scene of an “incident.” That’s all the councillor claims he knows.
And from there the plot - to echo Raymond Chandler which this thriller does so well - has more twists and turns than a pole dancer at a strip joint. Janet Roger has woven a story that connects furtive encounters in the world of male escorts, an underworld of shady dealings with bent cops and corrupt lawyers, a privileged upper class on the take, and even some crucial discoveries in the physical underworld - the archaeology of Roman London.
But nothing is as it first seems, not even what I assumed was the love interest, everything in fact is a multilayered tissue of lies. I was baffled at many points, and needless to say I didn’t guess the killer. But one saving grace of Shamus Dust is that at several points, Newman is moved to summarize, for the benefit of some hapless character who’s presented him with yet another problem, what (he thinks) he knows so far.
Near the end, when Newman believes he has resolved it all, he is gently reproved by the City police superintendent:
I love that fabricated truth and what it implied. (Shades of the current Met. police force, too.) I also loved that the violence and murders weren’t gratuitous, even though Newman was too many times beaten to what I thought was an unsurvivable pulp.
I didn’t know I would enjoy this so much, and though murder mystery is not a genre I read much so it’s hard for me to compare it to anything, I would rate it 5 stars.
Newman (if he had a first name I couldn’t find it) is a hardbitten American PI who has been in London for the last 20 or so years. His assignment is ridiculously simple: a City councillor asks him to hand over a set of keys of a flat that he owns, to a specific policeman who is at the scene of an “incident.” That’s all the councillor claims he knows.
And from there the plot - to echo Raymond Chandler which this thriller does so well - has more twists and turns than a pole dancer at a strip joint. Janet Roger has woven a story that connects furtive encounters in the world of male escorts, an underworld of shady dealings with bent cops and corrupt lawyers, a privileged upper class on the take, and even some crucial discoveries in the physical underworld - the archaeology of Roman London.
But nothing is as it first seems, not even what I assumed was the love interest, everything in fact is a multilayered tissue of lies. I was baffled at many points, and needless to say I didn’t guess the killer. But one saving grace of Shamus Dust is that at several points, Newman is moved to summarize, for the benefit of some hapless character who’s presented him with yet another problem, what (he thinks) he knows so far.
Near the end, when Newman believes he has resolved it all, he is gently reproved by the City police superintendent:
“Be satisfied, man. You’ve avoided an unholy mire: for the esteemed councilor, your client; for the Beaufort family and their lady doctor; and not least for yourself. The burdens of policing this fair City are not your concern. We know our streets. We understand our officers and their lapses. Leave us to deal with our own. We have the practice.”
I love that fabricated truth and what it implied. (Shades of the current Met. police force, too.) I also loved that the violence and murders weren’t gratuitous, even though Newman was too many times beaten to what I thought was an unsurvivable pulp.
I didn’t know I would enjoy this so much, and though murder mystery is not a genre I read much so it’s hard for me to compare it to anything, I would rate it 5 stars.
November 22, 2019
A beautifully written Noir mystery/thriller featuring a private eye who'd give Philip Marlowe a run for his money. The story is set in London in 1947 during one of the coldest winters on record. All the action takes place between Christmas and New Year as our hero, a private investigator called Newman is drawn into a web of corruption in the City of London (a city within a city and one that, even 70 years on, is a law unto itself) after his discovery of the body of pimp and blackmailer Raymond Jarrett shot to death outside a church.
From there on the body count rises as Newman's investigation reveals a twisted plot involving corrupt policemen, crooked property speculators and a wealth of colourful characters from down-and-outs to rich men planning ways to increase their wealth.
Along the way, Newman suffers a couple of very nasty beatings as his inquiries upset people who don't want the real story behind a series of murders to ever be revealed. There's just a hint of a love interest for him thanks to the ministrations of a stand-in police doctor who risks her career by helping Newman with his case.
The language is a delight. First time author Janet Roger's description of war-torn London as the city suffers a bitterly cold winter will make the reader shiver.
It's a story you don't want to end as you cheer for the good guy and hope he makes it out the other side in one piece. This is crime writing of the highest order and if there's any justice in this world, Janet Rodger's first novel will win a shedload of awards. I do hope we hear from Newman again. Highly recommended.
From there on the body count rises as Newman's investigation reveals a twisted plot involving corrupt policemen, crooked property speculators and a wealth of colourful characters from down-and-outs to rich men planning ways to increase their wealth.
Along the way, Newman suffers a couple of very nasty beatings as his inquiries upset people who don't want the real story behind a series of murders to ever be revealed. There's just a hint of a love interest for him thanks to the ministrations of a stand-in police doctor who risks her career by helping Newman with his case.
The language is a delight. First time author Janet Roger's description of war-torn London as the city suffers a bitterly cold winter will make the reader shiver.
It's a story you don't want to end as you cheer for the good guy and hope he makes it out the other side in one piece. This is crime writing of the highest order and if there's any justice in this world, Janet Rodger's first novel will win a shedload of awards. I do hope we hear from Newman again. Highly recommended.
December 18, 2019
I've not read a book quite like SHAMUS DUST. It is unique and yet it is very alluring. It is classic noir of the the 1940s murder mysteries once seen on the big screen.
It begins on Christmas Day in the post-war era of London in 1947. It's a cold and bleak morning when a man is found dead at a church, shot twice, causing shockwaves throughout the community. It seems though, that the victim, identified as Raymond Jarrett, was a local pimp and almost certainly up to no good. A search of his flat reveal pictures of young boys in compromising positions with which he used for blackmail. So it wasn't at all surprising that no one seems all that disappointed with his demise.
Jarrett's flat is owned by a local councillor who takes it upon himself to hire private eye, Newman aka "Shamus", to investigate what happened and to hush up any possibly scandal. Suspicions are aroused surrounding the nurse who discovered the body but are soon overshadowed by a missing university professor and his assistant, a male sex worker, an abusive father and his daughter along with plenty of other complications like corruption and greed soon have Newman digging deep into a very sordid aspect of London society.
It seems though that Councillor Drake has underestimated Newman's intelligence and abilities as he uncovers a homosexual ring, blackmail, greed, corruption and bent coppers. He is assisted along the way with a young female doctor who seems somewhat elusive and mysterious.
There are more murders and shocking twists along the way as the more Newman investigates and the deeper he digs, the higher the bodycount. Then throw in an archaeological find below London's Square Mile and you have an even bigger mystery at hand.
But somebody knows more than they're letting on. The question is - who?
SHAMUS DUST is most definitely a classic crime mystery in true noir-style. It's dark, it's sophisticated and it's atmospheric. My biggest flaw with with it would be the long and overt descriptions, some of which I felt could have been cut down but then at the same time does it add to that classic noir style?
I also wasn't fond of the lead being an American in London. I felt this was a classic British mystery needing a British protagonist. The added use of Americanised English only served to irritate me further, as there is nothing I hate more than American English in British books. I prefer spelling, language and terms appropriate to the period and place in which the book is set. To me, it felt out of character with the whole scene and didn't belong. But that is just my personal opinion - others may feel differently.
I note others have compared the writing style to that of Raymond Chandler. But as I've not read any I can't compare it myself. However, if you love dark, atmospheric writing then you are bound to enjoy SHAMUS DUST. This book has a little bit of everything - murder, blackmail, mystery, greed, corruption, lies and suspense.
I would like to thank #JanetRoger, #NetGalley and #Matador for an ARC of #ShamusDust in exchange for an honest review.
This review appears on my blog at https://stinathebookaholic.blogspot.com/.
It begins on Christmas Day in the post-war era of London in 1947. It's a cold and bleak morning when a man is found dead at a church, shot twice, causing shockwaves throughout the community. It seems though, that the victim, identified as Raymond Jarrett, was a local pimp and almost certainly up to no good. A search of his flat reveal pictures of young boys in compromising positions with which he used for blackmail. So it wasn't at all surprising that no one seems all that disappointed with his demise.
Jarrett's flat is owned by a local councillor who takes it upon himself to hire private eye, Newman aka "Shamus", to investigate what happened and to hush up any possibly scandal. Suspicions are aroused surrounding the nurse who discovered the body but are soon overshadowed by a missing university professor and his assistant, a male sex worker, an abusive father and his daughter along with plenty of other complications like corruption and greed soon have Newman digging deep into a very sordid aspect of London society.
It seems though that Councillor Drake has underestimated Newman's intelligence and abilities as he uncovers a homosexual ring, blackmail, greed, corruption and bent coppers. He is assisted along the way with a young female doctor who seems somewhat elusive and mysterious.
There are more murders and shocking twists along the way as the more Newman investigates and the deeper he digs, the higher the bodycount. Then throw in an archaeological find below London's Square Mile and you have an even bigger mystery at hand.
But somebody knows more than they're letting on. The question is - who?
SHAMUS DUST is most definitely a classic crime mystery in true noir-style. It's dark, it's sophisticated and it's atmospheric. My biggest flaw with with it would be the long and overt descriptions, some of which I felt could have been cut down but then at the same time does it add to that classic noir style?
I also wasn't fond of the lead being an American in London. I felt this was a classic British mystery needing a British protagonist. The added use of Americanised English only served to irritate me further, as there is nothing I hate more than American English in British books. I prefer spelling, language and terms appropriate to the period and place in which the book is set. To me, it felt out of character with the whole scene and didn't belong. But that is just my personal opinion - others may feel differently.
I note others have compared the writing style to that of Raymond Chandler. But as I've not read any I can't compare it myself. However, if you love dark, atmospheric writing then you are bound to enjoy SHAMUS DUST. This book has a little bit of everything - murder, blackmail, mystery, greed, corruption, lies and suspense.
I would like to thank #JanetRoger, #NetGalley and #Matador for an ARC of #ShamusDust in exchange for an honest review.
This review appears on my blog at https://stinathebookaholic.blogspot.com/.
January 29, 2024
Shamus Dust - like Fairy Dust - sprinkle it and you will find the killer.
I love a good plot. But when well-developed characters DRIVE that plot, I am in heaven. This is such a book.
The PLOT
A dead body is found outside a church. A woman inside the church says she heard no shots. Newman gets involved.
It is 1947 and a very cold December in London. The ravages of the war are still apparent in the city. Much money is to be made from reconstruction.
More deaths occur.
What exactly is tying these events together?
The CHARACTERS
Newman - no first name, the American shamus (a private detective)
Raymond Jarrett - the dead body
Estelle Greer - the woman inside the church who found the body. She is a nurse.
Professor Michael Garfield - Principal Archaeologist to the City Corporation. His car is found at the death scene. He is missing too.
Henry Beaufort - the Professor's personal assistant.
Guy Beaufort - Henry's father and a developer in the city; one of the two partners in Beaufort Partners.
Edgar Levin - the second partner.
Councillor Drake - calls Newman on Christmas Day and gets him involved. He is the owner of the residence where Raymond Jarrett lived.
Joseph Willard - partner in Drake, Willard and Company, a rival development company of Beaufort Partners
Sybil (Drake) Willard - his alcoholic wife; daughter of Councillor Drake
Buchanan Allynson - lawyer for Drake, Willard
Mrs. Allynson - Estelle Greer's sister
There are more characters but hope this helps keep the main ones straight.
Thank you Janet Roger for your love of a good story. Though it contained many characters and a twist-and-turn plot, I thoroughly enjoyed it and might read it again during Christmas 2024.
5 stars
I love a good plot. But when well-developed characters DRIVE that plot, I am in heaven. This is such a book.
The PLOT
A dead body is found outside a church. A woman inside the church says she heard no shots. Newman gets involved.
It is 1947 and a very cold December in London. The ravages of the war are still apparent in the city. Much money is to be made from reconstruction.
More deaths occur.
What exactly is tying these events together?
The CHARACTERS
Newman - no first name, the American shamus (a private detective)
Raymond Jarrett - the dead body
Estelle Greer - the woman inside the church who found the body. She is a nurse.
Professor Michael Garfield - Principal Archaeologist to the City Corporation. His car is found at the death scene. He is missing too.
Henry Beaufort - the Professor's personal assistant.
Guy Beaufort - Henry's father and a developer in the city; one of the two partners in Beaufort Partners.
Edgar Levin - the second partner.
Councillor Drake - calls Newman on Christmas Day and gets him involved. He is the owner of the residence where Raymond Jarrett lived.
Joseph Willard - partner in Drake, Willard and Company, a rival development company of Beaufort Partners
Sybil (Drake) Willard - his alcoholic wife; daughter of Councillor Drake
Buchanan Allynson - lawyer for Drake, Willard
Mrs. Allynson - Estelle Greer's sister
There are more characters but hope this helps keep the main ones straight.
Thank you Janet Roger for your love of a good story. Though it contained many characters and a twist-and-turn plot, I thoroughly enjoyed it and might read it again during Christmas 2024.
5 stars
January 18, 2023
Review of Shamus Dust
HOLY DASHIELL HAMMETT!!!! This book is terrifically written in the style of the old black & white noir detective novels that I love so much.
Janet Roger, the author of this wonderful book, sent me a friend request. She wasn’t pushy asking me for a review. I accepted her request and we exchanged a couple of friendly messages. The book sounded interesting so I got it.
WOWSER!!! The writing style took me back to the great movies when actors were truly masters of their trade. Humphrey Bogart, Robert Mitchum, Orson Welles. This noir novel has the private detective, Newman, hired by a man highly placed, to deliver keys to a detective at the site of a murder. Said detective being absent, Newman does what any self-respecting PI does. He uses the key to enter the murder victim’s apartment. From that point, it is on.
The murders start piling up. Newman, being a PI is sometimes in dangerous company. There are many characters in this book. Most of the shady to some degree.
Does Newman eventually sort out this hot mess?? You’ll have to read the book, which I highly recommend.
HOLY DASHIELL HAMMETT!!!! This book is terrifically written in the style of the old black & white noir detective novels that I love so much.
Janet Roger, the author of this wonderful book, sent me a friend request. She wasn’t pushy asking me for a review. I accepted her request and we exchanged a couple of friendly messages. The book sounded interesting so I got it.
WOWSER!!! The writing style took me back to the great movies when actors were truly masters of their trade. Humphrey Bogart, Robert Mitchum, Orson Welles. This noir novel has the private detective, Newman, hired by a man highly placed, to deliver keys to a detective at the site of a murder. Said detective being absent, Newman does what any self-respecting PI does. He uses the key to enter the murder victim’s apartment. From that point, it is on.
The murders start piling up. Newman, being a PI is sometimes in dangerous company. There are many characters in this book. Most of the shady to some degree.
Does Newman eventually sort out this hot mess?? You’ll have to read the book, which I highly recommend.
June 17, 2020
The title, SHAMUS DUST, immediately conjures up images of hard-boiled detectives from the film-noir era and the actors who brought them to life on the silver screen: Bogart, Robinson, Garfield, Mitchum, Powell, Ladd.......... and the list goes on. Surprisingly, the setting of this story is not New York, Chicago, or Los Angeles. Instead, the reader is immersed in 1947 war-torn London with its bombed out buildings and people's lives in physical and psychological disarray. An American private investigator living in London, Newman, is brought into a messy murder case which as the story unfolds seems to constantly evolve and take on a life of its own. Plenty of dead bodies and suspects intermingle with a rich cast of characters that provoke a variety of emotional responses. This tale upholds that timeless saying, "there is no black and white, only shades of gray". Surely a gross understatement within the context of this story. Author Janet Roger employs her own narrative style that demands you pay close attention to the deft, unpredictable changes of pace that require maintaining your analytical balance and equilibrium. As a former U.S. government special agent and private investigator, I found myself immediately engaged in deja-vu mode and applying my own experience, knowledge, and skills to this challenging and captivating hologram of a read. Mystery, intrigue, suspense-it's all here in one masterfully written, exquisitely unique story that will most certainly entertain you. I applaud Janet Roger and give her book my highest recommendation.
June 19, 2020
I am not a big fan of detective-novels, but Shamus Dust is so much more than a classic murder-mystery. Three things I loved about this book:
1) You could feel the level of detail that went into the research in every sentence. I have always marveled at writers of historic fiction and the way they can immerse themselves into a completely different world. Reading Shamus Dust you feel like you are in the post-WWII London.
2) Great mastery of style. The almost poetic language complemented the historic detail that makes the reader feel the atmosphere, the fog, the British clouds.
3) Janet Roger created good, multi-faceted characters that work very well in combination with each other and with the setting.
For lovers of noir mysteries there is no way around this book.
1) You could feel the level of detail that went into the research in every sentence. I have always marveled at writers of historic fiction and the way they can immerse themselves into a completely different world. Reading Shamus Dust you feel like you are in the post-WWII London.
2) Great mastery of style. The almost poetic language complemented the historic detail that makes the reader feel the atmosphere, the fog, the British clouds.
3) Janet Roger created good, multi-faceted characters that work very well in combination with each other and with the setting.
For lovers of noir mysteries there is no way around this book.
March 1, 2024
4.5 actual rating
Transforming the California noir P.I. novels, into post-war London, and remarkably capturing the cadence and patois of those classic novels, this book remains true to the sounds and language in that new locale. It's Christmas morning in London in 1947 when Newman, an American P.I., receives a call from a city official with a request for him to pick some keys and deliver them to a police detective. What should be a relatively simple task falls apart at the discovery of body in the porch of a nearby church. And the bodies keep piling up and complications arriving. The plot takes us on a ride with so many twists and turns. The frigid weather and snow are so integral to the story, it almost becomes a character. The characters are sharply drawn often with twist of humor. Although remembering of all of them and their relationships to one another can boggle your mind and keeping a written cheat sheet may be helpful. I found myself pausing to enjoy the poetic descriptions, but that only added to the enjoyment. If you're looking for an excellent mystery with a twist, pick this one up!
Transforming the California noir P.I. novels, into post-war London, and remarkably capturing the cadence and patois of those classic novels, this book remains true to the sounds and language in that new locale. It's Christmas morning in London in 1947 when Newman, an American P.I., receives a call from a city official with a request for him to pick some keys and deliver them to a police detective. What should be a relatively simple task falls apart at the discovery of body in the porch of a nearby church. And the bodies keep piling up and complications arriving. The plot takes us on a ride with so many twists and turns. The frigid weather and snow are so integral to the story, it almost becomes a character. The characters are sharply drawn often with twist of humor. Although remembering of all of them and their relationships to one another can boggle your mind and keeping a written cheat sheet may be helpful. I found myself pausing to enjoy the poetic descriptions, but that only added to the enjoyment. If you're looking for an excellent mystery with a twist, pick this one up!
Currently reading
May 18, 2024Updated@27/01/2024: Thanks Ms. Janet Roger for providing me an e-book in exchange for an honest review.
A man got killed in Chrismas eve, who is the killer?
Impressive author's website: https://www.janetroger.com/shamus-dus...
More to come.
A man got killed in Chrismas eve, who is the killer?
Impressive author's website: https://www.janetroger.com/shamus-dus...
More to come.
May 6, 2021
Shamus Dust: Hard Winter. Cold War. Cool Murder.
by Janet Roger
I wrote this review based on a copy that the author sent me.
This is an exciting murder mystery set in post-war London. It begins with the PI Newman, an American living in the UK, who receives a call from Councillor Drake requesting his assistance, or more precisely his deductive abilities. The request sparked his curiosity as to why a councillor with a problem would send a car to collect him first and then telephone for his assistance second.
He is chauffured to a crime scene - a gunshot wound, a body of a “ white male in his early thirties, lean built, smooth-shaved, hair thinning, good-looking once….” , discovered in the porch of the Church-St.Bartholomew the Great on Christmas Day morning. Discovered by a nurse who just happened to be his neighbour - she had stepped in before going on duty to light not one but two candles. Luckily for Newman, the victim was also a tenant of the Councillor and had a key to the apartment. On entering the location, the identity was discovered to be one Raymond Jarrett, a photographer to some degree. But the photographs were “ not the kind of photographs that get taken at garden parties on summer lawns “, but of boys, always they were young boys.
Events quickly take an interesting turn when Newman follows advice and asks a few questions – to the wrong person at the wrong time – the result is being knocked out and the person he was talking to, who just happens to be a key informer, is unfortunately killed and still Professor Garfield is missing…
The investigation is ongoing and with each chapter the intrigue deepens as the whereabouts of the Professor remains unknown and Henry, his Personal Assistant becomes increasingly concerned. The Commissioner insists that Newman allow the police to deal with the case in their own way along with McAlester, the Detective Inspector deciding suspiciously what interests city detectives and what should be left alone, “ what went in and what stayed out of the record “ .
Around forty-eight hours later, as if Newman didn’t have enough to be investigating, a body was discovered in the river – bloated, the features almost past recognition. What was easy to see were the two ragged gunshot wounds to the victims chest.
My overall thoughts on this book : an amazing unique murder mystery that will have you on the edge of your seat. I couldn’t put it down, having to keep stopping myself from devouring it in one session as I didn’t want the story to end, my ongoing enigma of “ whodunnit “ !
As we follow Newman’s leads, I initially felt that Drake valued Newman and his investigating techniques, each new thread becoming intertwined with others, a criss-crossing web of deceit. Stumbling upon an extra lead or one solution only leads to more questions. The puzzle constantly niggling still who, why and for what reason quickly becoming a cat and mouse chase, a race against time.
The WW2 era has always been a favourite of mine but this was an especially exciting read as Janet Roger deals out a different focus with intense details including the impact of the London bombings.
I give Shamus Dust: Hard Winter. Cold War. Cool Murder 5 out of 5 stars.
by Janet Roger
I wrote this review based on a copy that the author sent me.
This is an exciting murder mystery set in post-war London. It begins with the PI Newman, an American living in the UK, who receives a call from Councillor Drake requesting his assistance, or more precisely his deductive abilities. The request sparked his curiosity as to why a councillor with a problem would send a car to collect him first and then telephone for his assistance second.
He is chauffured to a crime scene - a gunshot wound, a body of a “ white male in his early thirties, lean built, smooth-shaved, hair thinning, good-looking once….” , discovered in the porch of the Church-St.Bartholomew the Great on Christmas Day morning. Discovered by a nurse who just happened to be his neighbour - she had stepped in before going on duty to light not one but two candles. Luckily for Newman, the victim was also a tenant of the Councillor and had a key to the apartment. On entering the location, the identity was discovered to be one Raymond Jarrett, a photographer to some degree. But the photographs were “ not the kind of photographs that get taken at garden parties on summer lawns “, but of boys, always they were young boys.
Events quickly take an interesting turn when Newman follows advice and asks a few questions – to the wrong person at the wrong time – the result is being knocked out and the person he was talking to, who just happens to be a key informer, is unfortunately killed and still Professor Garfield is missing…
The investigation is ongoing and with each chapter the intrigue deepens as the whereabouts of the Professor remains unknown and Henry, his Personal Assistant becomes increasingly concerned. The Commissioner insists that Newman allow the police to deal with the case in their own way along with McAlester, the Detective Inspector deciding suspiciously what interests city detectives and what should be left alone, “ what went in and what stayed out of the record “ .
Around forty-eight hours later, as if Newman didn’t have enough to be investigating, a body was discovered in the river – bloated, the features almost past recognition. What was easy to see were the two ragged gunshot wounds to the victims chest.
My overall thoughts on this book : an amazing unique murder mystery that will have you on the edge of your seat. I couldn’t put it down, having to keep stopping myself from devouring it in one session as I didn’t want the story to end, my ongoing enigma of “ whodunnit “ !
As we follow Newman’s leads, I initially felt that Drake valued Newman and his investigating techniques, each new thread becoming intertwined with others, a criss-crossing web of deceit. Stumbling upon an extra lead or one solution only leads to more questions. The puzzle constantly niggling still who, why and for what reason quickly becoming a cat and mouse chase, a race against time.
The WW2 era has always been a favourite of mine but this was an especially exciting read as Janet Roger deals out a different focus with intense details including the impact of the London bombings.
I give Shamus Dust: Hard Winter. Cold War. Cool Murder 5 out of 5 stars.
February 21, 2020
Take a hardboiled American private eye and transplant him into the bitter winter of post-WW2 England. Add corrupt cops, femmes fatale, devious politicians, scheming developers, damsels in distress — and centre it on a gritty gumshoe who knows how to take a beating but won’t stay down.
Then anchor the action in a meticulously crafted City of London, in the shadows of the rats’ tangle of criss-cross backstreets and blind alleys, beneath the bombed-out buildings and ramshackle ruins. The city itself becomes a brooding, oppressive presence, in a story which echoes the old-school style of Raymond Chandler’s noir mixed with Philip Kerr’s war-torn cynicism.
Very much positioned at the ‘literary’ end of the spectrum. The author obviously loves language and complex plotting, and sometimes the story suffers from extended descriptions and an over-abundance of genre-staple characters. An immersive, meandering read, one which demands plenty of patience and your full attention.
7/10
There are more of my reviews of crime / thrillers and murder-mysteries over at http://www.murdermayhemandmore.net
Then anchor the action in a meticulously crafted City of London, in the shadows of the rats’ tangle of criss-cross backstreets and blind alleys, beneath the bombed-out buildings and ramshackle ruins. The city itself becomes a brooding, oppressive presence, in a story which echoes the old-school style of Raymond Chandler’s noir mixed with Philip Kerr’s war-torn cynicism.
Very much positioned at the ‘literary’ end of the spectrum. The author obviously loves language and complex plotting, and sometimes the story suffers from extended descriptions and an over-abundance of genre-staple characters. An immersive, meandering read, one which demands plenty of patience and your full attention.
7/10
There are more of my reviews of crime / thrillers and murder-mysteries over at http://www.murdermayhemandmore.net
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