SWEET NARCISSUS

Rating:
Summary: Erudite and original
Review: I am currently working down my ToBeRead-pile and came to this book which I had picked up years ago. The unprepossessing cover had put me off until now. Well, the book was a very pleasant surprise. The narrator/protagonist and his unconventional family are rather eccentric and endearing, but highly cultured and intelligent - this is one author who does not underestimate his readers. There is humor and irony, particularly in the ultimate fate of the villain. As a mystery it is old-fashioned but in a good way. For instance, none of the crimes are psychologically harrowing for the reader, there is not too much gore; the puzzle remains firmly at the forefront. I am glad to have one of the sequels still in the pile and plan to tackle it soon.