Excalilbur York
University
New detective novel for new age
by Adrian Nadler
While initially it may not appear so obvious, The Last Refuge
is the first in a new series of mystery novels by rookie writer
Chris Knopf. The introductory pages read like an intriguing character
study. Read on and you'll find a traditional, yet fresh, mystery
uniquely set in Long Island.
Sam Acquillo is in many ways the archetype of a hard-boiled detective
- a bit rough around the edges, stubborn, shrewd with a troubled
past. Yet he's no detective, merely a former corporate engineer
and flavoured coffee enthusiast who enjoys working on his ‘67
Pontiac Grand Prix, boxing and drinking vodka on the rocks, while
languishing at the beach front of his late parents' Southampton
cottage.
Sam's emotional struggle and brooding personality is what first
hooks readers, and Knopf's colourful new angle on the detective
yarn is what keeps them reading. Indeed, many plot elements of
The Last Refuge will be observable to fans familiar with the
standard mystery formula: The readers meet the bad guys beforehand,
although they are not revealed as such until the end, and seemingly
innocent characters cannot always be trusted.
However, the crime here is white-collar as often as it is blue.
Knopf further sets his story apart from other mystery novels
in two ways. First, his characters leap off the page in all their
quirks and colours, possessing believably human voices, motivations
and emotions. In their interactions and dialogues with Sam, subtexts
such as emotional baggage and sexual tension are evident and
always present. Second, Knopf lives in Sag Harbour, New York
and has most likely visited the roads and neighbourhoods where
Sam treads. He describes the beautiful sand, surf and sunsets
of Long Island lovingly and with the detail of one who has seen
them first-hand.
Knopf boasts an impressive vocabulary; less-than-avid readers
may enjoy keeping a dictionary on hand. Also, some of the clues
Sam collects involve real-estate and zoning regulations, and
some readers may grow anxious to skim these parts to reach more
interesting sections, like one of Sam's periodic flashbacks.
When the book ends and the culprit is in police custody, Knopf
has not fully explored Sam's past, or his relationships with
those he meets. Sure enough, it has been a year since The Last
Refuge was published and Knopf's website (www.sameddie.com) advertises
the second "Sam Acquillo Hamptons Mystery", Two Time.
With themes of avarice and class conflict before a backdrop of
the Hamptons, Chris Knopf's initial effort energizes the classic
detective story with vulnerable, flawed characters. As in most
mysteries, the reader is encouraged to analyze every character
as a potential suspect. This is not apparent at first since the
book initially sets itself up as a character study of its anti-hero
lead, but steadily, it becomes more standard in its form.
As with standard mysteries, the subtle and sometimes shocking
plot is completely resolved at the end, to make room for the
next installment. Hopefully, however, the excellent character
development will continue to progress as pleasingly as it did
in The Last Refuge.
|
