A Very Palpable Hit

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

Rudge (he was named after a bicycle) McCracken, a news editor at the
Toronto Orb, attends a mystery weekend with his companion, Meredith
Hughes, a well-known media photographer. The game starts off well
enough, as the “murder” takes place and the “body” is
discovered, but things start to go wrong when a player in the game
actually turns up dead. Rudge files a story on the murder, only to find
himself assigned to the post of entertainment editor. This leads him
into the thick of the Toronto entertainment world—a world filled with
characters the reader will love to hate.

The story proceeds at a credible pace, with almost everyone, including
Meredith, becoming a suspect. At the centre of the plot is a mysterious
theatrical scheme involving millions of dollars. Rudge almost loses his
life in solving this tale, which has a marvelously startling ending.

This is a very well-written mystery with good characterization and
lively dialogue. Readers familiar with the Toronto entertainment scene
will relate more readily to the story than others, but everyone will
catch some of the more obvious references to well-known Canadian
personalities. Recommended for those who like a good mystery.