MYSTERY

The Mystery of the Venus Island Fetish

by Tim Flannery
Minotaur: St. Martin's. Feb. 2016. 304p. ISBN 9781250079428. $24.99; ebk. ISBN 9781466892156. M
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Australian scientist and environmentalist Flannery (The Weather Makers) tries his hand at mystery fiction in this 1930s caper. Young anthropologist Archie Meek has returned to Sydney from a yearslong field trip to the Venus Islands and finds his museum in disarray. The board has a frighteningly aggressive new member, his registrar fiancée is furious over his latest love token, and several curators have up and disappeared. On top of that, someone has clearly tampered with the museum's famed Venus Island Fetish, an enormous ceremonial mask decorated with human skulls. Some of the skulls look a little too "fresh" for a historical object. Archie fears that the missing curators might have become a part of the collection and so endeavors to learn the truth while winning back his fiancée and securing his job.
VERDICT Ribald and filled with of-the-time views on race, Flannery's debut has trouble keeping a handle on its wide cast of characters. The setting is perfect for a post-Depression farce, and while many of the elements are there, the effect comes off more muddled than effervescent. Flannery/Butterworth clearly considers the pun the ultimate form of humor, so readers with similar sensibilities may find enjoyment here. [See Prepub Alert, 8/17/15.]
Reviewed by Liza Oldham, Beverly, MA , Feb 01, 2016
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