"Full Dark House" by Christopher Fowler introduced me to Arthur Bryant and John
May, 80ish detectives and members of the Peculiar Crimes Unit in London. The detectives move back and forth between their first crime investigation during the London Blitz to present day when as elderly men, they revisit that crime. It can be somewhat confusing as many of the characters are present in both time frames. Sometimes the clues to past or present are a simple as a backpack in use or the mention of Sony. In any case, both men are interesting although to me Bryant is the more intriguing with his use of witches, psychics and other paranormal resources. May, while dubious of Bryant's methods, is loyal and more of a by-the-book guy. The setting is blitz torn London and a palatial theater, with hints some quite broad of a "phantom," all kinds of references to Greek gods, and the various whimsies of the artistic world. This book was a 2003 Barry Award Nominee and CWA Dagger Nominee,and a 2004 BFS August Derleth Novel of the Year Award Winner. There are six more Bryant and May novels available to readers and I plan to check them all out. I particularly loved the descriptions of the inside of the theater and the workings of the props and sets. One of the characters actually suffered from agoraphobia which I wouldn't have thought was well known in the 1940s. I was drawn to this book by the age of the detectives and the recommendation of the Pomfret, CT librarian who is never wrong on mysteries. It is available in libraries in both Connecticut and Massachusetts.
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