Review by Kathleen Wolfe -- Arsenic and Old Men
Posted: 06 Sep 2019, 06:46
[Following is a volunteer review of "Arsenic and Old Men" by Glenn Ickler.]
4 out of 4 stars
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Following the death of his Uncle Walt, cartoonist David Jerome and his buddies from St. Paul's Daily Dispatch, investigative reporter Warren "Mitch" Mitchell and photographer Alan Jeffrey head over to the island Martha's Vineyard to settle legal matters, since Dave is the next of kin. What could go wrong? Take a couple of days off just to support a friend. Quite mundane isn't it? Not for long. When the autopsy reveals the presence of arsenic in the dead man's stomach, things get tricky and what was originally meant to be only a "few days" becomes longer and venturesome. Since Uncle Walt was a former editor of the Daily Dispatch, Mitch and Alan are ordered to stay on the island and report on the proceedings of the investigations. Was it a murder? Was it suicide? If it was, why? Throw in an informal meeting with a stark naked attorney on the clothing optional side of a beach and a senile squatter on Uncle Walt's land, along with threatening letters from suspicious persons and you've got a story that could keep you guessing to the end.
The story Arsenic and Old Men, a book of about 290 odd pages, is a brilliantly written novel categorized under C/T/M/H. It's a part of the Mitch and Al mysteries but can be read as a stand alone. The author, Glen Ickler worked as a newspaper reporter, columnist, editorial writer and editor in Minnesota and Massachusetts and I feel that the he did a great job in putting the story together.
In this novel, the main characters Mitch, Al and Dave stick together in the "one for all and all for one" spirit of French writer Alexandre Dumas. The trio call themselves the Three Musketeers although better known by the people on the island as the Three Stooges. The friendship exhibited between the three is easy-going and makes the reader feel as if they were right in front of them, as if they were taking part in the investigation. It left me feeling nostalgic. Its the type of book you could read on a rainy day curled up in comfy sheets or by the window.
What I liked most about this book was that there wasn't a single moment that you could get bored with. They were either hot on the trail of a new discovery or cracking jokes and silly puns that had me trying to stifle my giggles, earning quite a few stares from people around me. (Note to reader: Never read this book in public lest you guffaw in front of total strangers.)
I am happy to say that I could not find a single typo or grammatical error in this book, which made reading it all the more enjoyable. There was one explicit scene and a few instances of profane language used. I wouldn't recommend this to children because of what I stated earlier but it would make an enjoyable read for adults. The silly antics of these adventurous young men are sure to keep the reader hooked to the very end.
Since I have no errors to report and am completely happy with the book, I give it a rating of 4 out of 4.
******
Arsenic and Old Men
View: on Bookshelves | on Amazon
4 out of 4 stars
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Following the death of his Uncle Walt, cartoonist David Jerome and his buddies from St. Paul's Daily Dispatch, investigative reporter Warren "Mitch" Mitchell and photographer Alan Jeffrey head over to the island Martha's Vineyard to settle legal matters, since Dave is the next of kin. What could go wrong? Take a couple of days off just to support a friend. Quite mundane isn't it? Not for long. When the autopsy reveals the presence of arsenic in the dead man's stomach, things get tricky and what was originally meant to be only a "few days" becomes longer and venturesome. Since Uncle Walt was a former editor of the Daily Dispatch, Mitch and Alan are ordered to stay on the island and report on the proceedings of the investigations. Was it a murder? Was it suicide? If it was, why? Throw in an informal meeting with a stark naked attorney on the clothing optional side of a beach and a senile squatter on Uncle Walt's land, along with threatening letters from suspicious persons and you've got a story that could keep you guessing to the end.
The story Arsenic and Old Men, a book of about 290 odd pages, is a brilliantly written novel categorized under C/T/M/H. It's a part of the Mitch and Al mysteries but can be read as a stand alone. The author, Glen Ickler worked as a newspaper reporter, columnist, editorial writer and editor in Minnesota and Massachusetts and I feel that the he did a great job in putting the story together.
In this novel, the main characters Mitch, Al and Dave stick together in the "one for all and all for one" spirit of French writer Alexandre Dumas. The trio call themselves the Three Musketeers although better known by the people on the island as the Three Stooges. The friendship exhibited between the three is easy-going and makes the reader feel as if they were right in front of them, as if they were taking part in the investigation. It left me feeling nostalgic. Its the type of book you could read on a rainy day curled up in comfy sheets or by the window.
What I liked most about this book was that there wasn't a single moment that you could get bored with. They were either hot on the trail of a new discovery or cracking jokes and silly puns that had me trying to stifle my giggles, earning quite a few stares from people around me. (Note to reader: Never read this book in public lest you guffaw in front of total strangers.)
I am happy to say that I could not find a single typo or grammatical error in this book, which made reading it all the more enjoyable. There was one explicit scene and a few instances of profane language used. I wouldn't recommend this to children because of what I stated earlier but it would make an enjoyable read for adults. The silly antics of these adventurous young men are sure to keep the reader hooked to the very end.
Since I have no errors to report and am completely happy with the book, I give it a rating of 4 out of 4.
******
Arsenic and Old Men
View: on Bookshelves | on Amazon
. Humour is something i love to read.
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