It has been slightly more than five years to the day since this review first
appeared here for Friday’s Forgotten books hosted by Patti Abbott. Long out of
print, it is available thanks to eBooks. Like all the other books by Bill
Crider, this one is a good one.
Professor Carl Burns starts
the fall semester at Hartley Norman College preparing again to teach the
sophomore level course on American Lit.
While he has a few jitters regarding the start of the new semester he is
very much dreading the upcoming Edward Street Seminar as their most famous
alumni, Edward Street, returns to the small campus. The idea of a seminar
celebrating the work of Edward Street had been hatched by the new university
president Franklin Miller as a way of raising money for the small college in
Pecan City, Texas. Then he got the idea of putting Burns in charge of
organizing it. Burns knows it has to go right.
Years ago Edward Street had
been an arrogant young professor. Then he hit literary fame as his book of
poetry, Dying Voices, took off. That success led to yet more success
with his novel, We All Die Today! Street
became a millionaire and never returned to teaching. It quickly becomes clear
when he arrives back in town that his success has not changed his basic character.
If anything, his success has made him more difficult to deal with and he now
plans to settle old scores. He isn't the only one looking to settle up because
Burns soon finds Street very much dead in his hotel room.
What follows is highly
entertaining story of academic politics, crime, murder and a hint of romance as
Burns works to solve this case and other issues. A comfortable cozy mystery
story that, while different from the sheriff Dan Rhodes series, features a main
character with some of the same attitudes and habits. Like Rhodes, Burns ask
questions over and over again of the various people involved and gradually
catches them in lies that eventually reveal their true nature. Like the early
Rhodes books, Burns has a romantic interest that he courts like a traditional
gentleman. And like in the Rhodes series, Carl Burns quickly becomes a
character readers relate to and feel is an old friend.
Dying Voices, recently
made available as an e-book is the second in the Carl Burns series One Dead
Dean. That novel is referenced some in this book though not to the
level to ruin that read.
Dying Voices: The Carl Burns
Mystery Series
Bill Crider
Crossroad Press
December 2012
ASIN: B00ATHPIGA
eBook (estimated print length 196
pages)
$3.99
Material was purchased
via a gift card for my use in an objective review.
Kevin R. Tipple ©2013,
2018
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3 comments:
DYING VOICES in the Professor Carl Burns series was one of my favorites of Bill Crider's oeuvre. Nice choice!
I've not read any of Bill's novels besides the Dan Rhodes series, but this one sounds fascinating. Thanks for a fine review, Kevin.
While Rhodes is my favorite, all of his series are good ones.
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