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Once upon a time, Chris Knopf used to hang out (at least fictionally) in the Hamptons, where first Sam Acquillo and then Jackie Swaitkowski did their best to combat criminals and stay out of jail or worse. In DEAD ANYWAY, which appeared as a standalone, he moved to Connecticut, but still remained in the general neighbourhood of extravagant real estate. In that book Arthur Cathcart, once a market researcher, emerged from a coma induced when he was shot in the head by an assailant who also murdered his wife, Florencia. In this, he widens his geographical focus to take in the Cayman Islands, the South of France, London's Kensington, Surrey, Lake Como, Switzerland (I think), New York City, and back to Connecticut for a grande finale. In all this hopping about, when possible in various rental cars, he and his lover, Natsumi Fitzgerald, take short term leases on a variety of properties, most scenically situated and all very, very expensive.
They can afford it. Arthur's murdered wife left behind a substantial estate accumulated by rather murky means. Arthur, now largely recovered from his head wound, is determined to find out exactly who Florencia was and what she'd been up to. To do it, he calls upon his somewhat damaged but still formidable computer skills, his familiarity with the latest hacking gear, and his connections with some serious muscle to get to the bottom of things. Along the way, Natsumi offers him her loving support and occasional advice. He also has a certain talent for disguise (or so he imagines), a curious throwback to the
days of Sherlock Holmes in a book that relies heavily on the cutting edge of technology.
Wherever they go, the pair are accompanied by an enormous amount of electronic gear. Readers may feel from time to time that they have been turned loose in a Radio Shack catalogue on steroids and if some of the devices described in fact exist (and I fear they either do or shortly will) one can only wonder what all the fuss about Edward Snowden is about. The problem with all this gadding about from villa to villa, installing tracking devices and nanny cams, is that it is hard to remember what exactly Cathcart hopes to find and difficult to sort all the various interests in play.
On the other hand, Knopf has a real gift for first-person narrative. Cathcart's voice is individual and in its own way charming. Although we may not be altogether certain of where he is headed and why, we certainly would like him to succeed. If the series is to continue, however, the technical dazzle will have to take second place to character development and motivation.
§ Yvonne Klein is a writer, translator, and retired college English professor who lives in Montreal.
Reviewed by Yvonne Klein, November 2013
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Contact: Yvonne Klein (ymk@reviewingtheevidence.com)
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