Six Ostriches

by Philipp Schott, DVM

As a mystery lover who had enjoyed a nonfiction collection of animal stories by Philipp Schott, I looked forward to reading Six Ostriches. I was disappointed.

The crimes against both people and animals were more gruesome than I am comfortable with. I didn’t actually like the protagonist, Peter Bannerman, a veterinarian, or his wife Laura, a paleobiologist currently working from home knitting bespoke attire. Dr. Bannerman is on the autistic spectrum, and it was interesting to read about his deliberate efforts to fit in socially, even when he didn’t understand the motivations of the people who did those things naturally. He has been married to Laura for twenty years, and they have learned how to live together compatibly.

Normally I enjoy stepping outside my comfort zone to understand and experience other cultures. I also like to delve into historical backgrounds. In this book, however, I couldn’t quite find my place or balance in the mix of Norse, Swedish, and Finn references, both ancient and contemporary. There is a jumble of religions, mythology, and names unfamiliar to me like Gudmundurson and Thorhelson that left me out in the Canadian cold. The author sometimes referred to characters by their first names and sometimes by their last names adding to the confusion. References to 8kun message boards, which were important to the plot, just complicated the book for me.

The setting is spring in New Selfoss in Manitoba, Canada. The ostriches have a minor role as the one named Big Bird swallows something and requires surgery. The blockage sets the rest of the plot into motion. My favorite character is Pippin, Peter’s dog, an “enthusiastic black and white lab-husky-collie mix.” He is smart, faithful, and trained to follow scents.

The mystery itself was acceptable with lots of clues provided along the way. It was not, however, a page turner for me.

I received a complimentary copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

Rating: 3/5

Category: Mystery

Notes: 1. #2 in the Dr. Bannerman Vet Mystery Series but could be read as a standalone.
2. Contains swearing and some vulgar inferences.

Publication: May 23, 2023—ECW Press

Memorable Lines:

“Everything comes from somewhere! Everything has a cause, however obscure and difficult to identify. With enough data and a careful analysis of that data, you can usually find a more satisfying and useful explanation than ‘random.“‘

Most veterinarians and their staff agreed that it was best to assume that ponies, while cute, were going to be ill-tempered. Like chihuahuas. That way they would be prepared if they were right and pleasantly surprised if they were wrong. Win-win.

But Peter still felt the buzz of emotion and disordered thoughts commandeering his brain. He rubbed his eyes and stretched. He knew what would help. He would write out his theories. The act of obliging unruly thought to become straight lines on a page always felt akin to running a comb through his tangled neurons.

This is the second outing for Dr. Peter Bannerman, and if anything it is more appealing than the first. It’s charming without exactly being classically cozy, which I consider a point in its favor. Peter is initially called to see an ostrich with an appetite problem, and there is interesting information here about how a vet handles animals this large and potentially lethal. It features animals without being annoyingly cutesy; instead, it is genuinely cute—like the brief but funny intro from the point of view of the ostrich before it eats a non-edible item. Dr. Bannerman and his entourage are smart and competent while also being entertaining. At first I thought some of the criminal motives and behavior here strained credulity, but then again these days there’s lots of crazy behavior to go around.

Thanks to Netgalley and ECW Press for a digital advance review copy.

An ailing ostrich is the start to this second mystery in the Dr. Peter Bannerman series. The ailment was caused by the ostrich swallowing a small metal replica of Mjolnir, Thor’s Hammer. Following up on this odd discovery takes Peter to the office of Professor Grimur Sturulson, who contends this is a genuine archaeological find.

Some research subsequently opens Peter’s eyes to a morass of erroneous beliefs by various white supremacy groups that Nordic explorers were actually the first to set foot in what became Canada, and this little hammer is evidence of their presence in New Selfoss, the small town near Winnipeg where Peter lives with his textile artist wife Laura and his beloved dog Pippin, and cat Mary.

Peter’s long-suffering brother-in-law Kevin, and RCMP officer, is stationed there too, and is pulled into an investigation of dead and mutilated farm animals and an attack on Pippin, all of which bizarrely and possibly begins to seem connected with that replica. And more murders.

Knowing full well that Peter will not leave an intriguing problem alone, especially as it hits so close to home, Kevin uses information Peter and Laura dig up. The investigation exposes more than just bigotry before its resolution.

This was a fascinating mystery, with its ties to Nordic myths. And like its predecessor, this book was much darker than I expected. Peter’s desire to solve potentially dangerous problems, regardless of Laura’s admonishments, was both frustrating and necessary. Frustrating, as it meant Peter was lying to Laura about some of his activities, and necessary, as Kevin needed the help.

Diifficult as I found it to read about the violence done to various animals, I still found the mystery compelling, and look forward to Peter’s next sleuthing endeavour.

Thank you to Netgalley and to ECW Press for this ARC in exchange for my review.

Six Ostriches Is the second book in Philipp Schott’s Dr Bannerman’s Vet Mystery series set in the small fictional town of New Selfoss in rural Manitoba. Veterinarian Peter Bannerman is called out on one of his most unusual cases. An ostrich is not eating and is doing poorly. Peter quickly learns the ostrich has swallowed something that has caused a blockage. When he operates, he discovers something even stranger than ostriches in Manitoba - a small and possibly very old Viking artifact.

But this is just the beginning of strange and progressively terrible events in New Selfoss. Several animals, many of them Peter’s patients, have been killed and mutilated. Despite warnings from Peter’s brother-in-law, an RCMP officer, to stay out of it, Peter is determined to do his own investigation with the aid of Pippin, his world-class tracker dog and his wife, Laura.

I have seen many reviewers call Six Ostriches a cozy mystery but, if you are looking for a simple, relaxing cozy, this ain’t it. It is more violent and deals with more controversial but topical issues. But it is also very interesting with plenty of twists and turns, red herrings galore and mostly likeable characters including or maybe especially the animals. Also, if, like me, you like some facts mixed in with your fiction, there is quite a bit about Icelandic settlement in Manitoba, Nordic myths, and the rise of Odinism in Canada. I will add a caveat here, although the animal mutilations are not gratuitous, they are upsetting. Overall, though. a very interesting and entertaining book with a very satisfying ending in which, for once, the animals get to save the day.

I received an arc of this book from Netgalley and ECW Press in exchange for an honest review

My thanks to ECW Press for a review copy of this book via NetGalley.

Six Ostriches (2023) is the second of the Dr Bannerman Vet mystery series by Philipp Schott, set in New Selfoss, a small town in Manitoba inhabited by people of mostly Icelandic origin. Dr Peter Bannerman is the local vet with a practice that covers both farm and small animals, and lives with his wife Laura (who knits sweaters, gloves and other things with designs ranging from Harry Potter to Lord of the Rings) and three pets named after LOTR characters, Gandalf the goat, Pippin the dog and Merry the cat. His brother-in-law, Kevin is in the RCMP and posted locally and doesn’t like Peter’s ‘interference’ in his cases, but it is Peter who can often catch on to clues that Kevin and his colleagues cannot (or at least realises their relevance). Peter is on the spectrum and struggles with social niceties and nuances, besides his various idiosyncrasies (among them the perfectly brewed cup of tea, and of course the need for clarity of thought)

This instalment opens with Peter being summoned by a farmer, Dan Favel to take a look at one of his six ostriches who is not eating (and who we know from the prologue has swallowed something not quite edible). It turns out to be a small metallic object and when Peter removes it surgically, he finds it’s a mjolnir, an ancient Nordic artefact—a miniature ‘Thor’s hammer’! This intrigues both Peter and Laura, but things start to take a much uglier and far more concerning turn when some farm animals are killed and horrifically mutilated. The police are taking note of course, but Peter decides to at least look into the matter (using the excuse that the victims were after all his patients), and as before Pippin’s exceptional smelling skills. This time Laura too is interested, as links with possible Nordic myth and practices surface, and she helps, through both her knowledge and online investigations. But as Peter and Pippin dig deeper into the matter, the danger catches up with them, coming far too close home!

Six Ostriches is the fourth book that I have read by Dr Schott, having previously read the first book in this mystery series which I liked very much (Fifty-four Pigs) and two volumes of his non fiction memoirs with anecdotes and experiences from his life and practice (largely the latter). I’ve enjoyed his writing style and the stories he has to tell, though being based on real life experiences (the memoirs particularly), there are also the inevitable heart-breaking moments. This book was no exception; it drew me in right from the start and I enjoyed reading every bit of it, but there were of course those moments (which I will come back to later).

The most interesting feature of this mystery for me was the Norse lore and legends which are at the centre of it, and around which, more unsettlingly, are a shadowy group Peter and Laura comes across in their investigations online and the rituals involving mutilations and more. Unlike in the first mystery, here Laura is equally interested and it was fun seeing her and Peter work together and uncover pieces of the puzzle. Of course, he still doesn’t tell her when he might be undertaking some more dangerous snooping.

The plot keeps one engaged all through, as clues are picked up and links revealed—again not a puzzle one can entirely work out and one that does involve a surprise or two which I didn’t see coming. In this book, while Peter of course continues to practice and see patients, the mystery elements are far more centre stage than his practice, and we have just enough detail to balance the two. Being based on his own experiences, these make for interesting reading too.

And now for the caveat. While I did enjoy reading this book, this is a case involving animal mutilation and while there is no gratuitous description or revelling in details, the incidents are there as is that bit of gore and as someone who loves animals, this was a difficult bit to handle; even more so than the first book because there all of it just happened in one go and one could look beyond it (even if not forget it), and also it wasn’t this brutal (the fact that these are single animals whom we get to know by name makes it even more so).

But with that qualifier, this made for an interesting and very readable entry in the series. I can’t end this review without talking of the ostriches themselves (none of these are harmed)—more than one has a bit of medical trouble and it is good fun seeing Dr Bannerman examine them, even though he is terrified of being disembowelled. And who can blame him when being six-foot-five, the ostriches still tower over him!

I’m looking forward to the next instalment which involves eleven huskies!

Princess Fuzzypants here: I almost gave up on this book. It was not that it that it wasn’t interesting or the characters were dull. Quite on the contrary. I get very upset when there is animal cruelty and part of the plot is to find the villain who is harming innocent animals. In fact, I was one more away from ditching it entirely. While I still do not like to read about bad things happening to animals, the animals, in the end, got revenge.

Small-town vet Peter practises in rural Manitoba, outside of Winnipeg. He takes care of farm animals as well as domestic pets and he is called to a farm on a friend where he discovers an atrocious crime. It may be the first but it is not the last. Peter, who seems like a highly functioning autistic requires things to make sense and be in some semblance of order, much to the chagrin of his wife and brother in law, who happens to be with the RCMP. He tries to convince them there is some nefarious plot behind all of this and sets out with his scent dog Pippin to uncover the truth.

There will be lots of twists in the story where people are not whom are not as expected. There is also some history lessons about the influx of people into the Province and the various prejudices that have developed between groups. It does get resolved but it is the animals who save the day. Literally.

Four purrs and two paws up.

Six Ostriches is another good mystery featuring a neurodivergent veterinarian, Dr. Peter Bannerman. I love that the setting is small town Manitoba, Canada (near enough to Winnipeg for day trips), as that’s not a place you find too many books being set. The people in the area are a fairly diverse bunch, with a lot of them having Icelandic heritage, and this Norse background forms a large part of the story this time. Peter’s wife, Laura, makes a living by creating custom knitted goods, featuring popular culture items like scarves with the colors of the Ravenclaw house in the Harry Potter books. When an ostrich swallows what appears to be an ancient Viking talisman, Laura’s research uncovers information about what it might be. Once again, Peter’s dog Pippin plays a role, with his magnificent sense of smell and his tracking capabilities.

Spring has come to Manitoba and the descriptions of the landscape are wonderful, including Peter’s delight in witnessing the Northern Lights on a sleepless night.

Warning: bad things happen to some animals in this story.

I bounced between the audiobook and the ebook for this title, which was very convenient. Miles Meili narrates the audiobook and does an excellent job with the many voices.

Thank you to ECW Press and NetGalley for the opportunity to read an advance readers copy of this book and to ECW Press Audio and NetGalley for the opportunity to listen to an advance copy of this audiobook. All opinions are my own.

I loved this book. I’ve only ever read Philipp Schott’s non-fiction work about his veterinary practice, so finding the ARC of this was a pleasant surprise. I loved the variety of unique characters and the inclusion of the mystery with the animals entrenched in the center of it. I will admit to having gotten lost a bit in all the Norse and Viking history, but it is clear that Schott did a lot of research and all of the details well thought out. I am looking forward to reading the next Dr. Bannerman mystery.

4.5 stars

Pro:
* Ostriches are fun
* Pop culture, quirky humor
* Veterinary expertise
* Dr. Pol meets Donna Andrews
* The relationship between Peter and Laura
* Laura’s knitting
* Pippin
* Setting up a great series

Con:
* Narrator has a nasal whining/ style

Thank you to Philipp
Schott, Miles Meili, ECW Press, and NetGalley for an advance reader copy in exchange for an honest review.

After emergency surgery on an ostrich reveals that the huge bird had swallowed what looks like a Viking artifact, veterinarian Peter Bannerman gets curious. Not long after, he begins receiving calls from distressed clients. Farm animals have been killed and mutilated and it all seems to be connected. Six ostriches is an intriguing mystery filled with lots of interesting details. I definitely want to go back and read the first book in the series.

An entertaining and interesting crime saga with a vet as the main character. There’s a lot of references to Icelandic sagas which I enjoyed. This is the second book in the series and I haven’t read the first and there are some references to it. Still an enjoyable read.

o begin with, I found the title and the cover of this novel to be intriguing. When I learned that it was a mystery (a favorite genre of mine), I knew that I wanted to read it.

I enjoyed the Canadian setting, the vet protagonist, his wife and the vet’s pet. They added to the pleasure of reading this story. That said, there are some serious themes here including some about white supremacists.

What is the significance of an old, old coin? Is it worth harming other creatures or people for? Read this one to find out. Along the way, spend time with a vet who has a unique personality and a wife who is there for him.

This is the second in the series. Some readers may want to read the books in order.

Many thanks to NetGalley and ECW Press for this title. All opinions are my own.

I always love Philipp Schott's books, both non fiction and mysteries featuring Peter Bannerman, an intriguing and well written amateur sleuth and vet.
This story is darker than the first and there's some gore and graphic scene that I found a bit disturbing.
That said it's another well plotted and enjoyable mystery and I hope there will be more mysteries in this series.
Many thanks to ECW Press for this arc, all opinions are mine

I loved the first book in this series and the follow-up is just as good. It was nice to return to the setting and catch up with the characters. The story this time around is rather more serious than in the first book, with quite graphic scenes of violence towards animals, so that is something to consider, but overall it’s an enjoyable, not-so-cosy crime caper.

Ostriches in Manitoba! Wrapped up in a mystery?! Original🙃

4.5🌟 stars
Schott's Six Ostriches made me smile and yet worry for the unlucky animals inhabiting this Viking-mad part of Manitoba! The main character is quite quirky, amateur sleuth/ veterinarian Dr. Peter Bannerman; his personality and devotion to his beloved scent hound Pippin make this original story work.

I love Dr. Bannerman's unflagging curiosity as he just can't quit investigating (what with farm animal murders and threats to their owners with no seeming rhyme or reason), no matter what his RCMP brother-in-law says. And using his duty to his patients as justification to deflect the censure of his wife and the police: how slick!

Another positive for me: Norse legends and the Icelandic ancestry of a lot of the local residents of this fictional town are key to the plot, even playing into the violence.

This mystery gets more and more complex as the story goes and the author had me fooled as to the villains right up until the high action reveal near the end. I never suspected!

Although I wish there had been a bit more interaction with patients and owners, this story has plenty going for it without relying on heartwarming stories of pets and livestock vet visits.

And I thought it was a clever move to have the ostriches of the title involved throughout the story, but especially at the beginning and climax.

My one peeve: too many oblique references to events in the previous book about Dr. Bannerman & co. Without a fuller description of what happened (on the pig farm, for example), this just confuses and adds nothing to the story.

Thanks to the author, ECW Press and NetGalley for sharing a complimentary advance copy of the book; this is my voluntary and honest opinion.

Six Ostriches is the second Dr. Bannerman veterinary mystery by Dr. Philipp Schott. Due out 23rd May 2023 from ECW Press, it's 272 pages and is available in paperback, audio, and ebook formats.

This is a credible follow up to the first story, featuring an amateur sleuth who is also a veterinarian and somewhat neurodivergent (but high-functioning) protagonist alongside his trusty canine sidekick Pippin, a husky/lab/border collie mix with a gifted sense of smell and an unusually high degree of intelligence to go with it. Dr. Bannerman struck me as an odd guy, generally likeable but also stubborn and often pedantic. I appreciated the nerdy culture references which the author wrote into the story, and it's cool that his wife is a nerdy fibre artist and knitting designer.

The book is well plotted and moves along at a good clip; definitely action driven and engaging. Unusually in this case, the characterizations are above average and believably rendered. There were a few places in the book where the dialogue didn't ring true for me at all, but all in all, well written and enjoyably readable. The overarching mystery is heavily foreshadowed and not a surprise, but there were motivations and hidden aspects which definitely surprised me. The climax, denouement, and resolution had a bit too much deus-ex-machina to be entirely satisfying, but overall I enjoyed it very much.

It's not really a cozy mystery at all and shares more in common with modern medical thrillers than "James Herriot". The author is clearly familiar with rural Manitoba and he does a great job describing the weather, the area, and the history of the place. There is some on-page violence as well as some mildly graphic descriptions of blood and exanguination, mutilation of livestock, and a couple of quite shocking decapitations. Language and dialogue are mostly PG rated shading toward the R-rated end of the spectrum. The author has not shied away from mentioning and exploring the themes of right-wing political culture and extremism. Also, there's explicit violence toward animals and very sensitive readers might want to check the discussion threads (spoiler: (view spoiler)).

The unabridged audiobook has a run time of 7 hours and 26 minutes and is capably narrated by Miles Meili. He has a rugged and rough-edged baritone which suits the dialogue very well. Sound and production quality are high throughout the recording.

Four stars. Very enjoyable and I'm looking forward to seeing what comes next for Peter, Laura, and Pippin (&co). The author/publisher have included a sneak peek at the third book in the series, Eleven Huskies .

Disclosure: I received an ARC at no cost from the author/publisher for review purposes.

A quirky little mystery that begins from the perspective of... an ostrich named Big Bird.

Thanks to NetGalley for the advanced copy of both the text and audiobooks. I'll try my best to do justice to both in my review.

Let's begin by saying that this is a sequel, and in some ways, it would have been more enjoyable had I begun with the first book. As it stands, the story threw readers into the thick of it. Sometimes, when the story develops more naturally, this ploy works and makes for a standalone enjoyable read. On other occasions, the author rapidly attempts to develop the characters and their backstories again, usually at the beginning, and the story feels forced. The latter is the case here, and I spent a good portion of the book rebuilding my patience and empathy.

Once past that little hiccup, the cozy mystery is just odd enough to make for an appealing read. However, the thing that makes this book, and perhaps this series, special is the treatment of its animal characters. The reader can tell the author is just wild about animals, with the care and fulfillment he gives his animal characters, both their internal monologues and their actions throughout the story. It is a rarity among authors that they are able to extend that empathy to animal characters without overly anthropomorphizing them, but that is achieved here, and rather brilliantly, despite the genre and airiness of the plot.

All said it's worth a read if you're looking for something warm and cozy. This book won't challenge you, but it will raise your awareness of how we might be perceived by the animals around us (and entertain you in the offing). Definitely recommend the text over the audiobook, as the narrator's voice can become a bit grating after a while.

3.5 stars

This second 'Dr. Bannerman Vet Mystery' is set in a Canadian town in early spring. It features animal desecration, Nordic cults, murder, tattoos, and a good sniffer dog.

Dr. Peter Bannerman, a veterinarian in the lakeside town of New Selfoss, Manitoba, is an amateur sleuth who can't help getting involved in criminal investigations. This puts Peter at odds with his brother-in-law Kevin, an officer in the Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) who doesn't want Peter's 'help.'

Bannerman has a varied veterinary practice, but 'Big Bird' is his first ostrich patient. Big Bird's owners, Dan and Kim Favel, note that their ostrich is off his feed and call Dr. Bannerman to have a look. An X-ray reveals a foreign object in Big Bird's digestive tract, and a surgical extraction unearths a mjolnir - a Norse religious symbol worn as a pendant.

Bannerman thinks the ornament is a tourist knick-knack but Professor Grimur Sturluson, an archaeologist at the University of Manitoba, identifies the mjolnir as a Viking artefact that's at least 1000 years old. The Vikings arrived in Canada in the 11th century, and there are many Icelandic and Scandinavian people in Manitoba, so an ancient Norse relic is not unprecedented.

Afterward, Bannerman gets called to several 'crime scenes' where carnage has been inflicted on innocent animals. First, Rose Baldwin's ram Patrick has his throat cut, his penis cut off, his testicles removed, and his blood drained. Second, Dan and Kim Favel's pony Misty is killed, decapitated, and bled out. Third, Peggy Dinsdale's billy goat Stinky is gouged in the neck and exsanguinated.

To add to the disquiet, the Favels' receive a note reading: "Skraelings! Now that you have proof that you occupy the sacred Vesturvatnsland (west water country) of our ancestors, you have no excuse to stay. This will be your only written warning." Worse yet, the pony Misty's head - gross and maggoty - is later left on the Favels' doorstep.

Bannerman speculates that all these atrocities are related to a Norse cult that demands animal sacrifice and uses blood. This theory is reinforced after Peter and his champion sniffer dog Pippin .find a nithing pole, a wooden pole used in a Norse religious ritual where an animal's head is put on a stake and pointed toward a person to curse them.

Peter also sees several people in New Selfoss with tattoos featuring snakes, which are often depicted in Viking art. Peter shares his cult theories with his cop brother-in-law Kevin, who's skeptical.....as is Kevin's police partner Kristine.

More attacks follow, and the stakes get very high when a person is killed. Though Peter is discouraged from 'aiding' in the investigation, he can't help himself, and Peter and Pippin carry on and uncover important evidence.

As all this is going on, we get glimpses into Bannerman's personal life. Peter is married to his college sweetheart Laura, a professional knitter. Laura makes specialty items to order, such as a cardigan in Ravenclaw house colors and Game of Throne mittens. As it happens, Laura - who's descended from Icelandic ancestors - is very knowledgeable about Norse culture, and actually uncovers information that helps Peter's inquiries. Peter also gets veterinary advice from an old crush; tries out for a dart-throwing team; becomes re-acquainted with a bully that tormented him in high school; drinks many cups of artisanal tea; treats additional ailing ostriches; and more.

All this leads to an exciting climax and surprising revelations.

For me the plot is over-complicated and a little hard to follow. Still, I enjoyed the story and like the characters, especially the Bannermans' dog Pippin and their cat Merry, who loves to cuddle with Laura.

I'd recommend the book to fans of cozy-ish mysteries.

Thanks to Netgalley, Philipp Schott, and ECW Press for a copy of the book.

Ostriches

One of my favorite things about cozy mysteries is already knowing many of the characters, their thinking processes and the landscape where most of it takes place. It helps the reader (and writer, I would think) to jump right into the new situation for the latest book. Philipp Schott takes full advantage of this and puts us right into the action of his latest mystery, Six Ostriches. Dr. Bannerman again falls prey to his own curiosity after finding a curious object when operating on an ostrich. This object becomes one of many clues that become a breadcrumb trail toward a murder of a local professor. Of course with a veterinarian as the main mystery solver, we have added action and worry for sick animals, bonus tension. However, I have to give a warning for the death/murder of some of the animals in this one. These deaths are not gory or detailed, but they are there as clues and require the observation/input of Peter the local vet. Think Midsomer Murders but with people AND animal victims. This second mystery by Schott goes so much smoother than the first, with much of the character work already in place from the first book. I enjoy the vet’s down time with his wife and dog, and their input into his adventures. In addition, Peter the vet detective used a system mid book to write down the different clues and happenings of the mystery. This system was quite helpful to this reader as a summary of what had happened so far, as the Canadian names kind of run together for me. I flew through this mystery and I will say that the author is getting quite skilled at setting up thrilling situations and scary atmospheres for a big reveal! Congratulations to Philipp Schott on the second of his Dr. Bannerman Vet Mysteries, there is no sophomore slump. Thank you to ECW Press and Netgalley for an advance digital copy of the book in return for an honest review.

An ostrich eats a shiny metal object and Vet Peter Bannerman has to operate on him to retrieve the item which turns out to be a tiny Mjolnir, Thor's hammer. Curious Peter takes it the university to be looked at. Meanwhile, someone is killing animals and taking parts of them away. When a body turns up and it appears to have connections to the tiny hammer, Peter wonders if the animal mutilations are connected too. When Pippen is hurt it gets personal. Zealots, darts and tattoos take centre stage as he and Pippen investigate, unofficially of course!
I really like this book, it's quirky in a very readable way.