Cover art copyright 2001 Judy Huey
The Casebook of
Doakes and Haig
The Casebook of Doakes & Haig, Patrick Welch, www.twilighttimesbooks.com, $4.50 download, other forms available, reviewed by Barry Hunter.
This is one of Pat Welch's more ambitious series in that he has created an alternate reality wherein Britain has maintained its colonies up to the modern era, but airplanes and motorcars have yet to make the scene. It's still a bit Victorian, but that works out fine because our two "Criminal Consultants" are a shop owner and his helper, a leprechaun.
Doakes begins as a shop owner selling a recipe sweetener made by his leprechaun partner until he becomes involved in solving a murder of a favorite customer in "A Small Matter of Murder". In "Savage Customs", they get involved with an Indian from the American colonies and a murder by tomahawk that is more complicated than it looks. In "Murderous Obligations", they are hired to solve a man's murder by the victim before it happens. "Fatal Impressions" tells of a murder and a plan to cause problems in the Colonies. "Cat's Moon Rising" is a story of catnapping and an Egyptian Queen. The longest tale finishes out the volume with a story of Doakes and Haig traveling to the Colonies and a search for the Lost City of Gold in "Golden Talons".
Welch has his tongue planted firmly in cheek while writing these. He also has his story telling and settings down pat. These are very interesting stories and we learn more about leprechauns and their many secrets and powers than from anywhere else. The characters are well drawn and before the end of the book, become old friends to the reader. I sat down and read this straight through on the day I received it. It's a fun read and one that should add a lot of new readers to the ranks of those who want more from Pat Welch. Recommended highly.
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Available from Twilight Times Publishing
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Copyright 2000, 2001, 2002 Patrick Welch