Sun 8 May 2011
Reviewed by LJ Roberts: CHRISTOPHER FOWLER – Bryant & May Off the Rails.
Posted by Steve under Bibliographies, Lists & Checklists , Characters , Reviews[7] Comments
Reviews by L. J. Roberts
CHRISTOPHER FOWLER – Bryant & May Off the Rails: A Peculiar Crimes Unit Mystery. Bantam, hardcover, September 2010; trade paperback, September 2011. Originally published in the UK: Doubleday, hardcover, June 2010.
Genre: Police procedural. Leading characters: Arthur Bryant & John May; 8th in series. Setting: England.
First Sentence: With regard to your apprehension of the hired assassin operating in the King’s Cross area, this so-called “King’s Cross Executioner” chap, thank you for acting so quickly on the matter, although it’s a pity he subsequently managed to give you the slip.
A killer known as Mr. Fox has been captured by Detectives Arthur Bryant and John May, but escaped, murdering one of their colleagues in the process. A body has been discovered in a station of London’s Underground. Was Mr. Fox the killer or does the Peculiar Crimes Unit have another killer on their hands?
Okay, I’ll start right out by admitting I love Bryant and May. In them, Fowler ha created two of the most appealing characters being written today. And it is truly Fowler’s excellent writing and voice which brings them, and the story, to life.
I have always appreciated books which include a cast of characters. Fowler found a particularly clever way of incorporating his cast of principal characters into the story as a staff roster. In this book, he provides a description of Bryant which truly does give “some measure of the man,†and I love his Bryant’s habit of reciting dictionary definitions.
Bryant and May, while being the central characters, are not alone but supported by a host of secondary characters each given distinct backgrounds, characteristics and contributions to the story. With each book, we learn more of each character’s background and personalities. But beyond the central characters, it is a rare author who can make one feel an element of sympathy for a series killer, but Fowler manages so to do.
There is wonderful humor balanced by touching poignancy. There is a balance of historical information — the London Underground system — with very contemporary references — the use of a flash mob as a distraction. It is the inclusion of small details about which one normally doesn’t think; such as the inclusion as to why escalators are always breaking down and the comparison between actors and serial killers, which I appreciate.
This is a book where one should have read the previous books in the series. That is no great burden, however, as all the Bryant and May stories are so well done and delightful to read. I should hate to see this series end so, please, give them a try, spread the word and enjoy Bryant and May. Off the Rails is another excellent addition to the series.
Rating: Excellent.
The Bryant & May series —
1. Full Dark House (2003)
2. The Water Room (2004)
3. Seventy-Seven Clocks (2005)
4. Ten Second Staircase (2006)
5. White Corridor (2007)
6. The Victoria Vanishes (2008)
7. Bryant and May on the Loose (2009)
8. Off the Rails (2010)
9. The Memory of Blood (2011)
May 9th, 2011 at 10:34 am
L.J. –
Have you visited Christopher Fowler’s website?
http://www.christopherfowler.com.uk/
He has a blog and under the categories of Bryant & May he writes about the soon-to-be released comic book featuring the characters and next year’s book ten, “The Invisible Code”.
I don’t think you need worry this series will end any time soon.
May 9th, 2011 at 10:45 am
That’s good news! Looks like Fowler’s track record of one book a year will keep right ticking, like clockwork.
May 9th, 2011 at 1:56 pm
Don’t forget the original Bryant & May series:
1. RUNE (1990)
2. DARKEST DAY (1993) (rewritten as THE SEVENTY-SEVEN CLOCKS)
3. SOHO BLACK (1998)
In many ways I confess I prefer these to the later series.
May 9th, 2011 at 2:39 pm
No way I could forget about these, Phil, since I was never aware of them, except as early horror novels written by Fowler, and I have to confess I’ve never paid any attention to them. Al Hubin’s equally unaware of these as Bryant and May titles, and in fact SOHO BLACK is not even included in his REVISED CRIME FICTION IV.
I’ll be in touch directly, to find out more. Thanks!
— Steve
May 10th, 2011 at 10:22 am
My brain is either addled or overloaded. I suspect the former. Ray O’Leary reviewed ON THE RAILS for this blog earlier this year:
https://mysteryfile.com/blog/?p=7155
And in one of the comments J. F. Norris pointed out the existence of the same three earlier books in the series as Phil has just now.
I don’t know where I happened to be at the time. Apparently John’s revelation made no impression on me at all. Sometimes you have to hit me twice, I guess, before I pay attention.
In any case I’ve sent the information on to Al Hubin, and RUNE and DARKEST DAY will appear in the next installment of the Addenda to the REVISED CRIME FICTION IV.
Bryant & May do appear in SOHO BLACK, but that title seems better classified as Horror Fiction than Crime Fiction (if it can be classified at all).
May 10th, 2011 at 11:44 am
That’s me – the invisible man. At Malice Domestic I lost my reading glasses and wandered around the signing room practically on my hands and knees trying to locate them and not one person asked what I was doing. I’m used to be overlooked even when I’m quite obviously in everyone’s way. ;^) Glad you found the comment the second time around.
Even happier that Fowler’s listing will be amended in the almighty Crime Fiction Bibliography. I saw one of the first incarnations of that book (the one that ends in 1975) in a used book store out here and it was priced at a mere $15! Once upon a time it sold for over $100.
May 14th, 2011 at 5:42 pm
FWIW, Bryant and May is a long-standing UK brand of matches, so that could well be where the author got the names (!)