THE HESITATION CUT by Giles Blunt (Random House), 309 pages, $22 paper. Rating: NN
I understand why genre authors are tempted to cross over into straight-ahead fiction, but sometimes I wish they’d resist. Even the best, most erudite mystery writers – take P.D. James, for example – tend to disappoint.
Giles Blunt, one of Canada’s most skilled whodunit writers and creator of the John Cardinal series, is the latest to fail in his attempt to build his literary cred. His novel The Hesitation Cut is rife with clichés and has almost zero tension.
Benedictine monk Brother William’s 10-year stint at a monastery in New York state is disrupted by the arrival of Lauren, a Manhattan novelist seeking information from the monastery library. His immediate obsession with her leads him to make questionable choices, beginning with his decision to leave the monastery to track her down in the big city.
susanc@nowtoronto.com | @susangcole
As usual, Blunt shows a flair for setting – you can really sense the monastery’s serene atmosphere and the Big Apple’s frantic pace – and occasionally, he reveals himself as an astute obser-ver. At one point he compares a monk on the brink of dying and ready to pass over to a traveller who eagerly sets his watch to the rhythms of the country he’s about to visit.
But the plot is totally by-the-numbers, which Blunt can get away with in a detective story when it’s almost fun to see things fall into place, but it sinks a serious character study. Peter’s obsession goes from ludicrous to dreary. Worse, you can see the ending coming a full 100 pages ahead.
Good thing Blunt’s talking about mystery writing at his appearance this week at the Ex, not offering tips for aspiring novelists.
Blunt appears at the IFOA At The Ex event Monday (August 25). See Readings.
susanc@nowtoronto.com | @susangcole
