The Midas Murders is the second book by Pieter Aspe featuring Bruges inspector Pieter Van In. After reading The Square of Revenge and finding it to be a pretty good read, I was interested in seeing where Aspe would take this character Van In.
A businessman is found dead in the cold streets of Bruges from an apparent alcoholic induced death. Over the course of the investigation Van In goes to question another man seen with him on the night of his death only to find that man dead as well. Coincidence? Van In doesn't believe so. To top it off, a seemingly unrelated bombing destroys one of Bruges most treated popular attraction, Guido Gazelle.
What I liked most about the novel this time around is not the mystery or the characters. What's most endearing with this title is the relationship between Van In and DA Hannelore Maartins. They are an odd couple that I did not see fitting together after reading the first story in the Van In series. Van In is not someone I would say has their life together what with his chain smoking, boozing, financial woes, and low self esteem. He seems the least likely candidate for the beautiful Hannelore. Aspe makes them fun and enjoyable to read with dialogue that's not cheesy or stilted.
I wouldn't describe The Midas Murders a genre-bending read but I found its swift pacing and absorbing mystery worth the few hours it took to read it. I will definitely read the next in the series.
No comments:
Post a Comment