Review by pamjohn1 -- Arsenic and Old Men by Glenn Ickler

[pamjohn1]

[Following is a volunteer review of "Arsenic and Old Men" by Glenn Ickler.]

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4 out of 4 stars

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Arsenic and Old Men by Glenn Ickler was an absolute delight to read. The latest in a series of Mitch and Al mysteries, the reader finds these two intrepid newspapermen from St. Paul, Minnesota, involved in a murder investigation on the island of Martha's Vineyard, Massachusetts.

The escapade begins when Mitch, Al and friend Dave (and their wives) go to the island to settle the estate of Dave's recently deceased Uncle Walt. When the death turns out to be murder, Mitch and Al become involved in the investigation, which gets more complicated chapter by chapter. What began as a 3-day trip extends to two and a half weeks, thanks to more murders and a nor'easter storm that closes down the island. Of course there is a surprise ending, but you'll have to read the entire book to find out who killed Uncle Walt.


As hinted by the title, the novel is a bit of a spoof on more traditional murder mysteries. Filled with quirky characters and situations, with lots of puns in the dialogue, I found myself chuckling and even laughing out loud at times despite the serious nature of the topic. A few of the characters seemed a little outlandish, but their personalities actually added to the story. Having lived in St. Paul, I also appreciated the references to one of my favorite cities.


One aspect I found a little irritating is that the use of puns became a bit tiresome after a while. There were also some oblique references to the current political situation in the country, with immigration policy being a focal point for one character. I'm not sure it really added to the story line.


The book is well written, fun and a fast read. There were only 2 typos, no overtly sexual material and no inappropriate language. Everyone from teenagers to senior citizens would enjoy reading Arsenic and Old Men I give it four out of four stars .

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Arsenic and Old Men
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