Devorah Fox writes historical epic fantasy, sci-fi fantasy
and thrillers.
She tells me a favourite of her own novels is THE ZEN DETECTIVE, because ‘it so
differs from everything else that I write, so noir, I often can't believe that
I wrote it.’ THE ZEN DETECTIVE
was a finalist in the Golden Books Award Contest.
Burned-out cop Will Mansion is on sick leave and seeks
relief from post-traumatic stress disorder through Zen meditation. But then he
responds to Sister Clyde’s plea to find a man missing from her soup kitchen.
Will finds himself on the trail of the vicious drug dealer who nearly killed
him… and battling his own drug addiction.
This
reminded me of Gene Hackman’s plight in FRENCH CONNECTION TWO.
The
strangeness, black humour and noir-elements of the tale reminded me of the
recent movie THE BLACK DAHLIA.
AGNES
OF GOD is a film where nuns are involved in a criminal investigation.
ANNE BANCROFT and MEG TILLY in 'Agnes of God' (1985)
Zen is a school of Mahayana Buddhism that
originated in China during
the 7th-10th Centuries A.D. It emphasizes rigorous
self-control and meditation-practice.
REVIEWS
of THE ZEN DETECTIVE:
‘A
beautifully executed mystery.’
‘Excellent
and engulfing tale… a plentiful cast of well-developed characters. Great job!’
‘It may
seem strange to rate a murder mystery funny and fun, but this one was for
me… The story gallops along, with wonderful descriptions of places and
characters, until it reached a satisfactory ending. Devorah Fox is a prolific
writer and this book may just be the entrée you need to explore her other
works.’
‘This
novel was enjoyable and definitely fun! I adored the intricacies of the plot
and entangled mysteries within.’
‘The prose is both silky and
muscular and carries the story along masterfully. Sharply drawn characters and
settings support the involving storyline. A wonderful, challenging story, well
told.’
‘Totally engaging... I learned
some things too about other life styles that made this book interesting and
enlightening. Devorah continues to amaze me with her ability to write books in
a wide variety of settings and situations.’
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