L.R. Wright wrote perhaps seven books about a duo detecting team in Canada. After the publication of The Suspect (1985), her first mystery novel and winner of the 1986 Edgar Award for Best Novel, she concentrated almost exclusively on the genre after several earlier literary novels.
Anyhow in SLEEP, a body of a woman is found in the forest just off a road in British Columbia. Her throat has been slashed, her ID unknown, no discernible motive.
An RCMP sergeant, Karl Alberg, is assigned to the case (and solves it eventually along with the village librarian). A Hollywood actor, an old flame, a grouchy old farmer, his lonely talkative wife, and an artist figure in the mix. Well-constructed and plotted plus engaging.Her style is spare and elegant.
But probably read THE SUSPECT first.This one is very good but more conventional.
5 comments:
I do like Wright's work, Patti. Glad to see Alberg spotlighted here.
Wright is an author I've never read but always meant to, especially THE SUSPECT, as it won the Edgar. Maybe some day.
I have the first two in the series. Barbara read the first but didn’t care for it. I still intend to read it.
I have read the first three in the series, and I loved books 1 and 3, but as you say, this one was more conventional. But still, I enjoyed the characters in that book and the way she tells a story. And I will be continuing with book 4.
I have a handful of L. R. Wright mysteries around here somewhere. Here are the other titles in the series:
The Alberg and Cassandra Mysteries:
The Suspect (1985)
Sleep While I Sing (1986)
A Chill Rain in January (1990)
Fall From Grace (1991)
Prized Possessions (1993)
A Touch of Panic (1994)
Mother Love (1995)
Strangers Among Us (1996)
Acts of Murder (1997)
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