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The Malcontenta (2000)

The Malcontenta (2000)

Book Info

Series
Rating
3.79 of 5 Votes: 2
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ISBN
1559705272 (ISBN13: 9781559705271)
Language
English
Publisher
arcade publishing

About book The Malcontenta (2000)

Maitland, Barry. THE MALCONTENTA. (2000). ****. This is a new author for me, but one I will surely read more of. He was born in Scotland, raised in London, and now lives in Australia. He was the recipient of the Ned Kelly Prize for Crime Fiction (Australia’s Edgar equivalent), and was short-listed for the John Creasy Award for Best First Crime Novel. This work features the pair of his series characters, Inspector Brock and Detective Kathy Kolla. This is their second adventure, their first being in his first novel, “The Marx Sisters.” “Malcontenta” is a name of palazzio in northern Italy – Vincenza – that was designed by Palladio. It’s design was copied and its clone was built in the south of England as a family manor. Over the years, the owners died off and the building is now used as a sort of health spa and rehabilitation center. The focus of the treatment here, under the direction of the presiding doctor and his wife, is a strict diet that purges the body of all toxins, followed by physiotherapy and acupuncture. One day, Kathy is sent from the local constabulary – where she has been posted as an exchange deal for one year from her London position – to the manor because of an apparent suicide. When she reaches the estate, she finds one of the physiotherapists hanging in the Temple of Apollo. Things don’t look right, though. There is evidence that the body had been moved and hanged after death, and that homosexual activity had taken place. The victim was a relatively new employee who, a year ago, had come from Greece via Italy. There are an endless number of potential suspects, but all seem to have good alibis. Kathy then travels to London to consult with her former boss, Brock, who is on leave from the London force. Together, they manage to find the right killer, but not before another two bodies manage to appear. In all, this is a very good read that is well written. As one of the reviews said, “...a bit of Agatha Christie and a dollop of Fawlty Towers.” Recommended.

This is the second novel I've read in the Kathy and Brock series. I'm so impressed with this writer's ability to make me care about his characters and draw me into the story. Add to that a puzzling murder or two with plenty of twists and turns and I'm hooked. As a former architect, Maitland brings much architectural interest to his books. The Malcontenta has a double meaning of course. But it refers on the surface to a mansion turned naturopathic spa outside of London and modeled after the villa La Malcontenta in Italy designed by Palladio. I didn't think I would enjoy this one quite as much as the first in the series, The Marx Sisters, but I did. I will be reading all the others.

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DS Kathy Kolla has been seconded to the countryside from the Met. She isn't having an easy time of it as her superior officer doesn't seem to care for her. She is assigned to look into an apparent suicide at a local health resort. She doesn't seem to feel that this was indeed a suicide but her investigation is stopped when her superiors interfer and close the case. In desperation she turns to DCI David Brock and he eventually starts looking into the case on his own time.This is a very good mystery. Plenty of suspects and motives to choose from. Good secondary characters, well thought out plot and a satisfying ending. Will definitely be reading more in this series.
—Mike Gabor

Author Barry Maitland simply possesses too much talent. Thanks to him, I completely neglected so much that I had to accomplish over the two days that it took me to devour the 348 pages of The Malcontenta.The suspense builds from the first few pages. Sergeant Kathy Kolla, physically if not mentally recovered from her experience in The Marx Sisters, visits Detective Chief Inspector David Brock of Scotland Yard at his London home. Kolla, spending a year on special assignment in an unspecified county in English's South, reveals to Brock the details of an investigation into a suicide at a health farm. She's certain that the death was no suicide, and that her superiors -- for some reason(s) -- have launched a cover-up. On the sly, Kolla and Brock continue looking into the death. The suspense will keep you glued to the book -- while everything and everyone else -- must wait till you savor the last page. You won't want to miss The Malcontenta; just tackle the novel when it won't disrupt your life too much! And be sure to have the next novel in the series, All My Enemies, near at hand. If you're like me, you won't want to wait long before catching up with Kathy and David again.A special thanks to my Goodreads friend from Down Under, Magda, who provided me a list of Australian authors that aren't to be missed. Maitland is a jewel I likely would not have experienced without you!
—Ivonne Rovira

Somewhat odd approach in this book considering where the series eventually goes. The book is in three parts, with the first being Kathy narrating to Brock the difficulties encountered in the murder case so far, the second Brock alone going undercover (with only mixed success) while another crime is committed, and finally Part III is Brock and Kathy working together to tie things up. You can tell in this book (#2 in the series) the author is still trying to figure out his characters and their relationship to each other. Brock seems to be a bit older here than in some later books, and Kathy is living in surprisingly spartan conditions for a Detective Sergeant, but both points play nicely into this particular tale. It is a very good, enjoyable mystery, unusually told.
—Mike

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