That Sleep of Death

Darleen R. Golke is a high-school teacher-librarian in Winnipeg,
Manitoba.

Sam Wiseman, co-owner of Dickens & Company (Librairie Dickens &
Compagnie), stumbles on the corpse of long-time customer Professor
Hilliard. Morbidly delighted with his discovery, Wiseman insinuates
himself into the ensuing investigation. He resolves to stick to homicide
detective Sergeant Gaston Lemieux “like a burr as long as the case
[is] unsolved.”

Accordingly, he acts as an “unofficial sounding board,” observing
and recording Lemieux’s interviews with various suspects, among them
Hilliard’s fellow professors, graduate students, former lover,
secretary, and housekeeper. Another body is added to the count before
the killer is identified.

Not surprisingly, King, the co-founder of a Montreal bookstore,
provides an abundance of detail about running a bookstore. More
interesting are his colourful descriptions and entertaining tidbits
relating to the history, architecture, and geography of McGill
University and the city of Montreal. Glimpses into departmental and
campus politics (including the often petty competitiveness among
academics) are amusing and diverting. However, the trivia of Wiseman’s
love interests fills a remarkably high number of pages and adds little
to plot or character development. Interestingly, the victim’s
character is analyzed more than that of either Wiseman or Lemieux.

While the book jacket describes the novel as “part police-procedural
and part cozy mystery,” only general police procedures emerge. Insight
into crime solving is limited, and Wiseman’s open access to both the
crime scene and the investigation seems highly unlikely. Assuming that
readers are fully bilingual, King inserts French words, phrases, and
sentences without providing adequate contextual clues. Unfortunately,
careless editing (especially in the book’s middle chapters) interferes
with the smooth flow of the narrative. These quibbles aside, King’s
first mystery makes for a largely satisfying reading experience.