Flesh Wound: A Dan Rudnicki Mystery

Jere D. Turner is Adult Collections Co-ordinator, Regina Public Library.

This interesting first novel (in a planned series) is set in Vancouver
and features Dan Rudnicki, the “world’s first Ukrainian-Canadian
detective.” While investigating the very brutal slaying of starlet
Bobbi Flynn, Rudnicki meets several unsavory characters. Some of these
are local, belonging to Vancouver’s fringe society, others are
imported from Hollywood in the form of a film crew on location. Dan’s
family and friends round out the cast of characters and give the novel
an authentic Ukrainian feel.

The story opens with the murder of Bobbi Flynn, and moves rapidly and
rather violently into the world of transsexualism when it is revealed
that Bobbi swung both ways. Here Dan meets Bobby Breen, a pimp in the
transsexual community. Breen, using considerable muscle, tries to
convince Dan to mind his own business, but Dan will not be deterred and,
later, the two meet again in a thrilling encounter. Investigating leads
in both the movie and transsexual communities Rudnicki moves ever closer
to the identity of the killer and the rather unexpected conclusion.

The characterization in this novel is good (except in the Ukrainian
content, which may be a bit much for some readers, especially when there
is no explanation of the more obscure comments) and the pacing is fast
and engrossing. All in all, this very good effort is definitely worth
reading.