The Fear in Yesterday's Rings

Rating:
Summary: When Is a Circus Not a Circus?
Review: Mongo Frederickson, ex-circus performer, ex-college professor, detective and dwarf, answers a call from a hospital acquaintance and finds that Phil Statler, his circus mentor, is now a patient. He has become a homeless alcoholic patient who is close to dying. Mongo comes to the rescue and Phil recovers only to tell a sad story of the circus's financial decay and it's forced sale.

On a mission to rescue Statler, Mongo flies to Palmetto Grove, Florida where many circus players have retired. He talks the residents into funding the repurchase of the circus and putting Phil back in charge as manager. Not quite coincidentally, Mongo also manages to kindle an affair with Harper Rhys-Whitney, the snake trainer. Or maybe Harper does the kindling. In any case, Harper is now a bit on the wealthy side, so she and Mongo fly off in her plane to track down the errant circus.

Little does Mongo realize that, on his quest for the circus, he is about to cross the paths of a violent murderer, a crypto-biologist, the world's greatest lion tamer and an illicit arms dealer. Deadly mysteries seem to surround Phil Statler's old circus. Most of them seem aimed right as Mongo and Harper.

George Chesbro spins a fine tale of Mongo's exploits, mixing a lot of detective fiction with a dash of science fiction and a dollop of just plain weird. It may be hard to imagine a dwarf as a hard-boiled detective, but Chesbro pulls it off with flair. Mongo not only out-thinks, but also out-fights, most of his opponents. Nor is that the sum total of his skills (just ask Harper). "The Fear in Yesterday's Rings" is great fiction read regardless of what genre you decide it's in. First time Mongo readers are in for a pleasant surprise.

Rating:
Summary: When Is a Circus Not a Circus?
Review: Mongo Frederickson, ex-circus performer, ex-college professor, detective and dwarf, answers a call from a hospital acquaintance and finds that Phil Statler, his circus mentor, is now a patient. He has become a homeless alcoholic patient who is close to dying. Mongo comes to the rescue and Phil recovers only to tell a sad story of the circus's financial decay and it's forced sale.

On a mission to rescue Statler, Mongo flies to Palmetto Grove, Florida where many circus players have retired. He talks the residents into funding the repurchase of the circus and putting Phil back in charge as manager. Not quite coincidentally, Mongo also manages to kindle an affair with Harper Rhys-Whitney, the snake trainer. Or maybe Harper does the kindling. In any case, Harper is now a bit on the wealthy side, so she and Mongo fly off in her plane to track down the errant circus.

Little does Mongo realize that, on his quest for the circus, he is about to cross the paths of a violent murderer, a crypto-biologist, the world's greatest lion tamer and an illicit arms dealer. Deadly mysteries seem to surround Phil Statler's old circus. Most of them seem aimed right as Mongo and Harper.

George Chesbro spins a fine tale of Mongo's exploits, mixing a lot of detective fiction with a dash of science fiction and a dollop of just plain weird. It may be hard to imagine a dwarf as a hard-boiled detective, but Chesbro pulls it off with flair. Mongo not only out-thinks, but also out-fights, most of his opponents. Nor is that the sum total of his skills (just ask Harper). "The Fear in Yesterday's Rings" is great fiction read regardless of what genre you decide it's in. First time Mongo readers are in for a pleasant surprise.