Fri 18 May 2018
K. K. BECK – The Body in the Volvo. Walker, hardcover, 198. Ballantine/Ivy, paperback, August 1989.
When a young professor at the University of Washington (in what department I don’t think it’s ever said) is unjustly denied tenure. he’s forced to look for work in the real world. Luckily his Uncle Cosmo has just won the lottery, and he helps his nephew out.
With full custody of his auto-repair shop. It’s hardly the gold mine of opportunity he envisioned, as you can imagine, and when the body of his former department chairman is found on the premises, it turns into outright disaster.
Not a major work, but one that’s both funny and well-plotted.
— Reprinted and very slightly revised from Mystery*File #21, April 1990.
May 18th, 2018 at 5:02 pm
I remember the cover and the title — neither one easy to forget! — but that’s about all. This sounds like one I’d like to read again.
May 18th, 2018 at 5:51 pm
I am open to anything about a professor denied tenure. Especially from Washington.
May 18th, 2018 at 7:04 pm
Beck could be great fun. I remember this fondly.
May 18th, 2018 at 7:20 pm
David
I remember your review of a book by Beck entitled The Revenge of Kali-Ra, one you enjoyed so much that Beck herself left a comment as to how much she enjoyed your review:
https://mysteryfile.com/blog/?p=1108#comments
May 18th, 2018 at 7:26 pm
Wondering what had become of Beck as a mystery writer, I did some checking. After KALI-RA, there has been one collection of what looks like novellas from her (THE TELL-TALE TATTOO), then what was billed as the first of a new series, TIPPING THE VALET) — a “Workplace Mystery” — but I have not seen any news about a second one.
May 19th, 2018 at 9:21 pm
I remember reading and enjoying this book, with the main character’s repeated refrain of “Fix cars!” I seem to recall reading that the author had encountered some health problems that caused her to stop writing.
May 20th, 2018 at 9:57 am
Health issues would explain a lot, Jim. I think you may be right.