The Jewel of the North

Rating:
Summary: London's abridgement falling down in San Francisco
Review: A murder mystery set in turn-of-the-20th-century San Francisco, in which a twenty-something Jack London, on the cusp of a great writing career, plays detective sounds like a sure-fire winning recipe for a novel.

Unfortunately, such proves not to be the case here. The story involves a series of murders of a number of saloon girls, but the murders are relatively bloodless. There aren't even any "rippings" for Jack to investigate.

Considering the victims and the time in which the novel is set, it makes sense that London's investigation would cause him to visit or consider a number of melodeons, dance halls, concert halls, beer dens, deadfalls, and even one brothel on the infamous Barbary Coast.

But really, all of the cheap sex - whether it's consummated or just hinted at - gets pretty dull, after a while. I mean, if a novel were set in contemporary San Francisco, wouldn't it soon get rather boring if every other scene was set in a gay bathhouse?

Actually, while I would never read it, I have a feeling that such a novel has already been written and that it really is that tedious after the shock value wears off. One would shake his head and say, "There must be more to contemporary San Francisco than places like this."

Well, by the same token, there must be more to pre-earthquake San Francisco, even on the Barbary Coast, than the illicit non-thrills that the author, Peter King, shows us.

To be fair, there is one rollicking good chase-and-fight scene that takes place in the subterranean city underneath Chinatown, as well as a decent bare-knuckles boxing exhibition with former heavyweight champ John L. Lewis (ouch!). But the surfeit of dance hall girls in revealing outfits dooms this novel.

The civilized personality of Jack London, as he is portrayed in this novel, is also disappointing.

As King notes, at this stage of his life, London has done time in the Erie State penitentiary where he fought empty-handed against a prisoner with a broken table leg. He has taken on five armed assailants at once, while with the California Fish Patrol. He has risked the forbidding white hell that was the Chilcoot Pass in Alaska's Klondyke.

His personality should have a rawness that reflects this and other experiences. Moreover, since London's socialism is alluded to as a motivation for his desire to bring justice to the downtrodden girls who died, he should have the passion of the reformer, but that's also missing.

It really does seem as though the author plays it too safe with his lead character. Of course, an angry socialist detective likely would have antagonized a number of readers, but it might have made the novel more interesting if the detective was someone that the reader had mixed feelings about.

Besides, King could have juxtaposed London's socialism with his quest for gold in the Klondyke. If London HAD stuck it rich in Alaska, after the hardship that he underwent and after his several brushes with death, no doubt he would have remained true to his socialist beliefs and dutifully donated his gold into some workers' collective.

The other famous personalities that Jack runs into who were known to have lived in or visited San Francisco or Northern California at this time, such as Rudyard Kipling, Ambrose Bierce, Oscar Wilde and Oscar Hammerstein don't save this novel, and neither does the climax at Half Moon Bay.

But the novel isn't a total loss, and I understand that there are already one or more sequels out there, and since both the setting and the principal character have promise, I intend to read the next one in the series.

San Francisco, tell me you're the heart of all the golden west in Peter King's next Jack London novel. Instead of its genitalia.

Rating:
Summary: A fine rading experience
Review: Jack London visits the back stage of San Francisco's Midway Plaisance where his girlfriend Little Egypt teaches dance to the other ladies. However, their interlude ends when the corpse of Jenny Morris is found in a nearby room. SFPD Captain O'Donnell leads the investigation, which is a major surprise to Jack as Barbary Coast dancers are not worth more than a sergeant heading any police inquiries. Jack learns a second girl also was killed with the same MO at another establishment.

Not long afterward San Francisco Mayor Nelson sneaks into Oakland where Jack lives to hire the writer to conduct an investigation into the murders. Nelson explains that the city is bringing in some quality talents who upon learning about the homicides lean towards canceling the engagements. Knowing cancellations are bad for his reelection efforts, Nelson believes Jack with his contacts throughout the Barbary Coast can uncover the identity of the killer. Needing the money Jack accepts the job, but soon finds himself in danger as the killings involve a lot more than just a lunatic killer.

THE JEWEL OF THE NORTH is an excellent historical mystery that brings to life the unsavory side of the 1890s in San Francisco. The star Jack London (before his famous novels) is perfect for the role of sleuth because of the great author's lifestyle, which is cleverly intertwined into the plot. The cast from the dancers to the Mayor adds depth to the colorful story line. Peter King has provided sub-genre fans with a gourmet delight starring a writing great who seems more at home as a sleuth than several other famous authors converted into fictional detectives.

Harriet Klausner

Rating:
Summary: A fine rading experience
Review: Jack London visits the back stage of San Francisco's Midway Plaisance where his girlfriend Little Egypt teaches dance to the other ladies. However, their interlude ends when the corpse of Jenny Morris is found in a nearby room. SFPD Captain O'Donnell leads the investigation, which is a major surprise to Jack as Barbary Coast dancers are not worth more than a sergeant heading any police inquiries. Jack learns a second girl also was killed with the same MO at another establishment.

Not long afterward San Francisco Mayor Nelson sneaks into Oakland where Jack lives to hire the writer to conduct an investigation into the murders. Nelson explains that the city is bringing in some quality talents who upon learning about the homicides lean towards canceling the engagements. Knowing cancellations are bad for his reelection efforts, Nelson believes Jack with his contacts throughout the Barbary Coast can uncover the identity of the killer. Needing the money Jack accepts the job, but soon finds himself in danger as the killings involve a lot more than just a lunatic killer.

THE JEWEL OF THE NORTH is an excellent historical mystery that brings to life the unsavory side of the 1890s in San Francisco. The star Jack London (before his famous novels) is perfect for the role of sleuth because of the great author's lifestyle, which is cleverly intertwined into the plot. The cast from the dancers to the Mayor adds depth to the colorful story line. Peter King has provided sub-genre fans with a gourmet delight starring a writing great who seems more at home as a sleuth than several other famous authors converted into fictional detectives.

Harriet Klausner

Rating:
Summary: An Excellent Historical Mystery
Review: Peter King has written an excellent tale about Jack London and turn of the century San Francisco. The story is fast paced and exciting with enough mystery and intrique to make you want to read the whole thing in one night. I would highly recommend it to all mystery lovers.