What Im Reading Now >>> Conrad Allen is a New-to-Me …

Im currently reading the first mystery in Conrad Allens (aka Edward Marston & Keith Miles) Dillman Mystery Series. The first book in the series is Murder on the Lusitania. We are introduced to George Porter Dillman, the main sleuth in this series. He hails from a family of yacht builders, but has decided on a different career path. He is a detective on a ship, which, from the titles of Allens books must change to different ships in the lines fleet.

The series takes place in the very early 1900s, so its not a cruise ship as they are known today. This ship is the mode of transportation for people going from Europe to North America. Dont expect the Las Vegas glitzy shows or the many planned activities that one might expect on a cruise ship today. A major source of fun is walking on the decks, and socializing with others before, during, and after each meal.

So, is this a Cozy Mystery? I am 63% through this book, and I would say that I definitely would call it a Cozy Mystery. Hmmm, you may say. How can you do that? The main sleuth is currently a detective (after being a Pinkerton agent for a while) >>> not an amateur detective. My answer is this: Lets not lose sight of Hercule Poirot, a police-trained detective, who is among the Coziest of Cozies.

This mystery (as I said Ive only read 63% of it) takes place on a cruise ship, where everyone seems to become familiar with each other. Its like a small, contained village so to speak. Allen has been able to make the characters into a small community of sorts.

While reading this Conrad Allen mystery, I have been struck several times by how much it reminds me of an Agatha Christie mystery. It is well written; the words seem to flow seamlessly. The writing is crisp. Allen doesnt make the reader wait to get answers. He actually moves from one puzzle piece to the next. (I get quite annoyed by authors who make you wait two or three chapters to get an answer to a question that has been posed!)

The characters, of which there are quite a few, are very well-developed. They are identifiable >>> I didnt find myself having to scan back to try to remember who is who. I think thats pretty significant, because to me, when I can remember a character, its like that character has been fleshed out and has become a person, rather than a character. (I sure hope that makes sense!) Allen treats us to a few quirky people amongst the normal ones.

Also, (again based on the first 63% of the first mystery in the series) there has been no gratuitous/superfluousviolence/sex/profanity. (Thats a lot of /!) This is not to say that there isnt implied violence/sex/profanity. Allen gets his point across when he tells one character to lock the door to another. A lot of us can get the drift as to what is going to be happening behind those locked doors.) Also, when the bad guy/gal (No spoilers here!) is hit several times and stabbed, we dont actually need a blow-by-blow description of all of his/her injuries, do we? Also, Allen mentions when one of his characters uses expletives without us having to hear (read) them.

If youre interested in reading more of these brief revisits of some of the more popular Cozy Mystery Series that Ive written in the past, you can find them at theMost Recommended Cozy Mystery Series pageon my site.