This is a Russian nesting doll of a book, with multiple literary devices nested inside a wider puzzle. The pundits have called it a thriller, which is stretching the definition in my view, but it sure drips with intrigue and deception!
The book has a mathematical theme, not surprising given the author’s PhD in the subject, but that’s secondary to the stellar craftsmanship and attention to detail.
Julia Hart is an ambitious book editor in conversation with Grant McAllister, a reclusive mathematician who once wrote a collection of 7 short stories called The White Murders. They’re on a remote Mediterranean island where he’s lived in seclusion for years. Julia’s publishing hour wants to republish the collection.
One by one, Julia reads the stories out loud to Grant and they discuss how each aligns with his mathematical theory of what constitutes detective fiction. Along the way, Julia grows suspicious that Grant is hiding something from her.
The narrative is delivered in slices. First Story #1, then a slice of Julia and Grant discussing theory, then Story #2, then another slice of discussion and so on. Julia and Grant are the only “real” characters, others merely serve Grant’s formula.
Each story stands alone. The only continuity is how a story correlates to Grant’s detective fiction formula. It’s fun to pick out the elements as you read.
Both the stories and the Julia and Grant sections are written in the same omniscient narration style. This gives the book a sense of cohesion and prevents what otherwise could have been a disjointed reading experience.
There are 7 stories with a character who acts as a detective. Julia herself is the 8th, which isn’t hard to guess, but the how and why creates a twist you never see coming.
Unique and compelling, THE 8th DETECTIVE is a real brain-teaser.