Deadly Spirits

E. Jane Philipps is the science librarian in the Biology Library at
Queen’s University.

Heywood (Hal) Murphy, an alcoholic, unemployed newspaper reporter
falsely suspected of the murder of a friend, sets out to find the real
killer. During his quest he encounters a cast of characters that run the
gamut of Canadian society from Toronto to Wikwemikong.

Beginning with his central character, Toronto Star literary critic
Philip Marchand overpeoples his first mystery with leaden
stereotypes—corrupt politicians, sadistic pimps and pathetic
prostitutes, high-society madams and powerful financiers, social
workers, wise Indians, ruined Indians, born-again Christians, cult
deprogrammers, gays, thugs, lawyers, and police officers too willing to
accept the easy solution. The thinly premised plot includes too many
elements to hang together well. Despite its purely formulaic nature and
unsatisfactory conclusion, Deadly Spirits offers avid mystery
aficionados a pleasant and undemanding afternoon’s read.