Book Review:
The Scarlet Coven by David Stuart Davies
Published by Urbane Publications, 2017

Picture the scene, if you will. 1930s New York and having received a sizeable inheritance, Detective Simon Finch has left the force to pursue his ambition of becoming a writer.

Asked for help by a man later found stabbed, the former detective can't resist following the clues. Aided and abetted by his wife Laura, the double act is born, and then a trio formed as PI Patrick Murphy gets in on the act.

The ensuing adventure is one of traded quips as much as hunted clues, and it's certainly not a dark thriller. The author has pulled off the historic atmosphere, and the characters are fresh and interesting.
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

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An amazing adventure that is one part Agatha Christie, one part Dresden Files, and completely enjoyable from beginning to end.

This isn't a bad book. The plot was fine. The writing was adequate. It simply wasn't what I was expecting when I read the description, so perhaps that needs to be changed. When I started reading the book, I thought it would be a little more grim, a little darker, certainly gritty, but it was none of those things.

Perhaps I wasn't in the right frame of mind to appreciate it, or I'm not the correct audience for this book, but I found the author's writing style to be off-putting. It was lighthearted, almost flippant, about the plot and characters. if that's a writing style you find interesting, then by all means, try this book. If you're looking for something a little darker, than this is not for you.

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"'I'm for a gin and tonic,' she said. 'Can I tempt you?'
'Indeed you can and I'll have a gin and tonic as well.'"
********

You wouldn't know it from the description as presented, but there are actually two delightful protagonists in this new book from David Stuart Davies (which looks to be the start of a fun new mystery series) - and they are NOT the two characters mentioned. Sure, Sam Finch is, as described, a detective-turned-writer. But his sidekick - and literal partner in crime, is not PI Patrick Murphy, it's Finch's wife Laura. Poor Laura doesn't even make the blurb, but to me, she definitely helped make the story... You see, it's Laura that turns this into a Nick and Nora Charles-esque mystery - and that was what both drew me in and held me.

There's darkness afoot in 1930s New York, and without the light antic interplay between Sam and Laura, that darkness might have overwhelmed what turned out to be a very entertaining (and suitably dark) mystery. The book is a hodge-podge - part mystery, part supernatural, part historical fiction. But Sam and Laura's interactions are what tied a lot of it together for me.There were a few times when the attempt to paint them as Nick and Nora Charles (if you missed the reference, it's to a couple of Dashiell Hammett short stories - most notably The Thin Man - and the William Powell/Myrna Loy series of Thin Man movies that spun out of them) felt overblown. True, Nick Charles is well known for his fondness for cocktails. True, Nora Charles is well known for inadvertently saving the day through a blend of silliness and savvy. But even Nick and Nora don't constantly talk about cocktails and find themselves in the wrong place at the wrong time.

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"'I didn't see you in the foyer.'
'You weren't meant to. No use being covert if one is seen.'"
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There were rather more mentions of Gibsons and Manhattans here than the story called for, strictly speaking, and they occasionally felt forced, but overall the nod at Nick and Nora was what made this one really sing for me. Patrick Murphy is a fine character, but he lacks the depth and complexity to be a major player. I'm optimistic that he will reappear and become a more defined presence - he's almost a bit of an afterthought in this story, even though he does (literally) save Sam's bacon more than once. And the addition of supernatural evil to a period mystery was an uncommon touch, but at times it felt forced and implacably malevolent - right up until the forces of evil are banished in a paragraph. A little tidy, but still fun - thanks to snappy bits of dialogue sprinkled throughout. I do hope there are more Sam and Laura adventures - there is a lot of ground open to cover, given how the book's particular version of New York is established, and I think that there's a lot of potential in these characters.

3.5

New York, 1936.

The protagonist Simon Finch is a retired New York detective turned writer. The only thing which connects him to his old job is one last trial of a mobster whom he brought down.
A young man approaches him to ask for help and later turns up murdered with some really weird clues left on the body. The death of the young man gets Finch and his wife Laura curious and from there they follow the leads that pop up every now and then, starting from the reason the man wanted Finch's help. Soon the case turns into something way darker than either of them expected.
One of those leads brings Finch to the door of a P.I. Patrick Murphy, whose partner was investigating the same thing Finch is after, but ended up insane. Together these three would encounter forces of evil none of them believed possible before one young man arrived in Yew York looking for his sister.

The premise isn't exactly a new one. There is a horror classic dealing with witches/Satanists and babies, but the time setting is even better here.

I really enjoyed this book. Sure, there are a couple of nitpicks (I still have no idea how 'Soon will be' is a meaningful reply to 'Hi', but I let it be, and some other stuff), but the flow is great and every time you think it's going to start to drag, the author throws something new at them.

Simon Finch isn't really an expert in this private investigating stuff, regardless of reputation. It turns out, it's not the same as being a New York detective. He and his wife make a lot of mistakes, but the story is light and none of their ordeals last too long. Murphy is an awesome character too and if this continues as a series, I would be really sorry if he isn't there.
I usually dislike (now, there's an understatement if there ever was one) established married couples as protagonists. The reason is that authors almost always involve some third party to spice the things up. I don't need that kind of spiciness, thank you very much! This author, though, went into smarter direction. None of that here. Hopefully, it stays that way.

The Scarlet Coven is a light, well paced story with a lot (and I mean a lot) of drinking. The characters could have been fleshed out a bit more, but the book is entertaining enough as it is.

ARC received from Urbane Publications via NetGalley

Grab a Gibson and enjoy this thoroughly refreshing cocktail of mystery and horror with just a hint of sass.  Simon Finch may have retired from the police, but that hasn’t stopped him from taking on the odd investigation.  It also hasn’t stopped his wife, Laura, from joining in on the fun.  Like the leads of many of the mysteries from the 30s and 40s,  Laura and Simon trade quips, drink cocktails and romance each other while tackling the case.  

At the start of The Scarlet Coven, Simon and Laura are approached by a troubled man convinced he is about to be killed.  When the duo arrive at the prearranged meeting, they find the man dead, stabbed with a strange dagger.  Simon soon discovers that the man was searching for his sister who had disappeared a few months earlier.  The young woman had been working for a small bookshop before her disappearance.  As Simon and Laura pick up the threads, they discover links to a sinister group, The Scarlet Coven.  Through the practice of black magic, the Scarlet Coven gathers wealth and power, readily crushing any who get in their way.  That isn’t about to stop Simon or Laura from trying to stop them.  

While there is a touch of the fantastic, this isn’t what you would call a “horror” novel.  It is more of a supernatural mystery.  The Scarlet Coven is an appealing novel, that even those who normally stay far away from the horror label will enjoy.  If you like old-school mysteries like The Thin Man, you will definitely enjoy The Scarlet Coven.

5 / 5

I received a copy of The Scarlet Coven from the publisher and Netgalley.com in exchange for an honest review.

--Crittermom

4 and 1 / 2 stars

It’s 1936 in New York City. Retired detective Simon Finch and his wife, Laura, are dining in a restaurant when they are approached by a man who says someone is watching him. He further states that if the man finds out he’s talking to a detective the unnamed man will kill him.

Simon has received an inheritance from an aunt which has enabled him to leave his police detective job behind and start his writing career. He takes on occasional investigative cases as well.

When Simon goes to meet the man at his hotel room, he finds him dead of a stab wound. He was stabbed with an ornate knife. A quick search of the room and his pockets while waiting for the police offers a few clues. He shares most these with the police.

The next day, Simon’s day is not going well as “Fats” Molloy was acquitted of murder by the jury. Simon figures the jury was rigged.

Simon and Laura go on a search for clues and interview witnesses and acquaintances of the murdered man’s sister. She has disappeared with no trace. The visit a seer and an occult book shop and meet some odd characters there.

Along the way, Simon and Laura team up with Patrick Murphy, a black private investigator who is also looking into the case. Is it a cult that is operating in New York? What is going on? What does Fats Molloy have to do with the case?

This is an atmospheric mystery that is both well written and plotted. I truly enjoyed it. I most definitely will be looking into more of David Stuart Davies’ novels. It is suspenseful and moves along very nicely to a satisfying conclusion. Well done Mr. Davies!!

I want to thank Netgalley and Urbane Publications for forwarding to me a copy of this great book to read.