The Becket Factor

I am very pleased to find a new writer of traditional detective fiction in Michael David Anthony. And Canterbury Cathedral is a well-chosen locale (especially for those who like both mysteries and Trollope). I hope that this series, published by Felony and Mayhem, will continue!

Despite its implausible and melodramatic plot, its underdeveloping characters, and its odd and premature revelation of the villain, I heartily recommend this ecclesiastical mystery. To the plot I say, "Really? Would discovering the tomb of Thomas a Becket cause a THEOLOGICAL fuss?" and "Does anyone know of a person in real life motivated quite like our villain?" To the character development, "How can a bad marriage turn to a good one so quickly, without exposited and analysed precipating events?" As for the villain, toward the end of the book I suddenly began to suspect The Villain for no good reason except that the author began unaccountably to describe (him/her) in Villainous Tones. I did not know why the villain would be the villain (and after finishing the book, I am perhaps even less sure), but I knew (her/his) identity, because the author had all but told me. But this is a book, first and foremost, written in an extremely intelligent style, unobtrusive yet textured and profound. It uses words and sentences quite well. The author also creates interesting characters and interesting situations for those characters to be in. The aforementioned bad marriage, for instance, is brilliantly introduced. That these characterisations fail to evolve satisfactorily over the course of the plot is not a fault of their initial conception, but of the plot itself. I want to read more books involving these people. I like them. What we have here, I suspect, is a very gifted writer learning how to write a novel. The lightning flashes of Mr. Anthony's promise stay in the sky for a long time, even though they eventually give way to shadow. I am about to read his second mystery, Dark Provenance, with considerable interest and anticipation.

THE BECKET FACTOR (Ecclesiastical Mystery-Richard Harrison-England-Cold War) - VG Anthony, Michael David - 1st book St. Martin's Press, 1991, US Hardcover - ISBN: 0312058217 First Sentence: A boy began singing. Retired Intelligence officer Richard Harrison is now attached to the Anglican church in Canterbury. A fellow officer from Richard's past asks that he investigate the mysterious death of a Canon of the church and the book he was said to be writing which could defame the top candidate of new Archbishop. In the meantime, an ancient tomb as been discovered which perhaps contains the bones of Thomas Beckett, raising fears of Anglo-Catholics using this as a way to bring the Anglican Church closer to Rome. This was a very good book. I had a bit of trouble, at first, placing the time period, probably because the whole book is really very English, which is not a criticism but an observation. I liked the character of Richard and how both he, and his relationship with his wife, changed through the story. I found the ecclesiastical information to be fascinating. It's hard to say much about the story without giving something away. Everything is woven tightly together and playing on everything else. Sadly, the author only completed two other books in this series, plus one standalone, before dying suddenly. However, I enjoyed this enough that I have found, and will read, the remaining two books in the series.

Shrouded in a cloak of mystery and full of intrigue and complexity. The author weaves the most enticingly detailed plot. The books characters are fully 'alive.' Certainly a rare treasure of a talent. The author is destined to become a GIFT to the literary arts.