Let's Play Fair by KM Rockwood

Recently, I had few days with an extended window of opportunity to read! What heaven. I have a huge, varied TBR list. What shall I choose?

I go for the latest work of a favorite author who writes a beloved series of crime novels with strong mystery and thriller bends.

The book starts out invitingly. It’s Christmas time, with a raging snowstorm. I know Elmore Leonard’s first rule of writing is to never start with the weather, but like all rules, it’s meant to be broken. In this case, it looks like the weather will end up a true character, a hovering reality which presents challenges and obstacles, forming an intrinsic force in the story.

There’s some vague advanced technology featured which doesn’t ring true to me, but hey, I’m not up on what’s feasible and what’s not. Additionally, this is fiction. If an author wants to create things that don’t exist but make sense in the context of the story, fine by me. I’ll believe in it.

Some mysteries are who-dun-its, inviting the reader to try to figure out the solution along with the protagonist. While I do enjoy those novels, and I will give some thought to figuring things out, I don’t mind letting the story flow along, and I’m never disappointed if I am wrong. I also like the complicated crime novels, like Midsomer Murders, where so much is going on that I find it virtually impossible to solve the mystery myself. It doesn’t bother me that there doesn’t seem to be either solid clues or red herrings, although I do take note of a few odd happenings.

Partway into the story, the weather seems to lose its grip on the situation. The storm continues, but now that characters have to get to a destination reasonably quickly, traffic is conveniently no longer snarled by snow and wind. In fact, the protagonist is involved in a traffic stop. Not only is the officer apparently unconcerned about the difficult driving conditions and vehicles in distress, he conducts the traffic stop standing by the driver’s window with no regard for the pelting snow and fierce wind which must make it difficult to even stand there, much less have a drawn-out interaction with those in the car.

When the characters get to the crime scene, suddenly helicopters have no problem being dispatched to fly over the area. This is in northern Virginia, apparently along the Potomac River. If the weather conditions permit air traffic, it should be a very crowded area, with close monitoring by air traffic controllers. Most of us remember what happened when a military helicopter in the area asked for visual clearance and then collided with an airliner approaching one of the three major commercial airports in the area. Operator’s whimsey seems to be the controlling factor of this helicopter’s operation. Then our protagonists are whisked away by helicopter to another location to do more investigating, weather conditions and other air traffic be damned.

I can’t say I don’t find these issues disturbing, but the story is intriguing. There is a vicious serial murderer at work, and a very limited repertoire of possible suspects. All is tightly woven together. I tell myself I must have missed clues, both subtle and major. I feel invested in most of these characters.

I eagerly approach the dénouement.

When it comes, the villain is someone who has made no previous appearance in the story at all. Or whose existence has even been hinted at.

A deus ex machina solution? The “god of the machine,” where in Greek plays a god descends to settle all matters pretty much regardless of what went on previously in the entire story?

Pretty much.

I was disappointed. I felt like I had been cheated, wasting my time and musings.

I’m not going to mention the book or the author, since I recognize that perhaps others may view the story differently and enjoy it. I don’t want to take away either from the author’s hard work or another reader’s enjoyment. But I do have to say this series is no longer on my list of eagerly anticipated new releases.

Have you ever met with disappointment from an eagerly anticipated book from a favorite author?