Dead Man's Axe – Bing Turkby ($25) Reviewed by Louise Ward, Wardini Books
If you like law breaking without the gore, mystery without the macabre, and murder without the monotony, this could be the novel for you. Palmerston North's legendary musician and writer Bing Turkby has turned to crime in this,the first of his Guitar Store Mysteries.
Set in fictional Rockingham West, we meet Dana, owner of Pick Me guitar store which she runs with a bit of help from young musician Brody and some hindrance from Paws McCartney, the cat. It's a lovely shop, full of the beautiful bits and pieces musicians covet, a place where locals gather to talk bands and music and noodle around on the guitars. Think Music Machine in Napier's Hastings Street.
Early on in the piece, Dana and Brody head out to watch a band because Brody fancies the guitarist. They're the support act to a band Dana's heard are pretty good, so off they trot.
One of the guitarists is a talented student of teacher Gene Stevens, a man with money and the reputation of being a great teacher, but a huge grump. The catalyst to the story is when reports arrive at Pick Me that Gene has been found dead, his head stoved in by his own rare and beautiful guitar that is still inexplicably sitting in the room with him, the motive clearly not being theft.
It's a small town, Dana is a guitar expert – she's getting involved whether the police like it or not.
The characters are nicely drawn in this story: Dana is cool, a bit introverted, sitting in the shadow left by her dead, famous brother. She would have been happy to stay home with Paws McCartney but she and Brody know something is amiss with this murder investigation and can't let it lie. The police officers are also well done with the right combination of suspicious, taciturn, irritable and a bit scary.
Dead Man's Axe is a thoroughly enjoyable story written with a smart, genuinely funny tone, perfect for any reader who needs a bit of bookish fun, is a muso who likes their references detailed and accurate, and just wants a good yarn.
