Undertow: An Inspector Stride Mystery

Undertow, an inspector stride mystery. (Their caps, not mine.) Canada wrapped up and delivered. The language in this book is fascinating. The sound of a native St. John's speaker is clearly displayed, the city brought to life and we are given a wonderful slice of the history and peoples of the Island. Add to that a tightly knit plot, great characters, lots of action and humour, and you have a rattling good read.JeriVictoria BC

Thomas R. Curran is a native Newfoundlander. His education was gained at Holloway School, Prince of Wales College, Memorial University of Newfoundland, and the University of Toronto. He spent more than twenty years writing and researching for the Parliamentary Branch of Ottawa. Undertow is his first novel.It is 1947 in St. Johns, Newfoundland. A woman is found murdered in her bathtub. She is the fourth wife of a prominent citizen in St. Johns. Two years prior, another murder was committed, this time a young American soldier, who had been murdered by means not released in the press. This murder was not solved by 1947.Enter Inspector Eric Stride, a detective for the Criminal Investigation Division of the Newfoundland Constabulary. Inspector Stride is a handsome detective who earned a fortune smuggling contraband during Prohibition. Stride is a bachelor, but has had a prior relationship with a daughter-in-law of the murdered woman, Joanne Taylor. Stride has to confront his own feelings in order to solve the case, and it is not easy:"'I have to ask this, Mrs. Taylor.' Joanne looked at Phelan with some interest, half-smiling. 'Where were you Saturday night?' 'I was here until about six-forty-five. Ned and I had dinner. We were finished around six-thirty. Then Ned went to his meeting with George Shaw.' The smile grew. 'I went out to see a movie at the Paramount. THE BIG SLEEP. Humphrey Bogart and Lauren Bacall. Raymond Chandler's book, a murder mystery. It was very good.'"Undertow is a murder mystery most psychological. Inspector Stride is emotionally involved from the beginning, since a member of the murdered woman's family is his ex-lover. But aside from that, there is layer upon layer of psychological drama for Stride to untangle, even as he is examining his own past. There are important people in St. Johns who want to past to remain just that. Stride must get past all of these obstacles to solve the murder and get on with his own life. Curran does an excellent job of recreating the past in this deep and silent mystery, written in a style Canadians seem to favor. It is a book made for icy nights and warm, toasty fires.Shelley GlodowskiReviewer

From the first page to the end you are kept on the edge of your chair. This is definitely a "can't put it down" tale. You are continuously given details that keep you questioning. Eric Stride is an intriguing detective with great insight. The scenes the author paints are always interesting and the text is full and what one would expect from an experienced writer. The style is easy going and the end of each chapter pulls you on to the next. You'll also learn about the folks, the times and some history of St. John's.This is a must read.

This book has a very good plot right from the beginning and for a navative Newfoundlander and "Townie" you can just place yourself right at home, the surrondings and people's names are very real. As the book progresses and the plot thickens it becomes more interesting and a must turn the page book. For someone 'from away'or a 'CFA' residing in Nfld the book is very informative about the landscape, the history and the way of the Newfoundland people. Congrats to the new writer and we look forward to more works from him.

This book has a very good plot right from the beginning and for a native Newfoundlander and "Townie" you can just place yourself right at home, the surroundings and people's names are very real. As the book progresses and the plot thickens it becomes more interesting and a must turn the page book. For someone 'from away' or a 'CFA' residing in Nfld the book is very informative about the landscape, the history and the way of the Newfoundland people. Congrats to the new writer and we look forward to more works from him.