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Norman de Ratour #1
Murder in the Museum of Man
In the aftermath of a murder at a city museum, Norman de Ratour, a self-effacing secretary and fastidious sleuth, begins an investigation and uncovers a cannibal cult in the anthropology section and eugenics in the genetics lab
273 pages, Paperback
First published April 1, 1997
About the author
Alfred Alcorn
19 books1 followerAlfred Alcorn is the author of the second Norman de Ratour Mystery, The Love Potion Murders in the Museum of Man, and former director of travel at Harvard University's Museum of Natural History. He lives in Belmont, Masschusetts.
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Displaying 1 - 28 of 28 reviews
April 6, 2014
After 1 week, only 25 pages. So boring. So. Very. Boring.
August 30, 2015
I thoroughly enjoyed this beautifully written mystery and the quirky character of Norman de Ratour and intend to read all of the series. I am torn between donating it and keeping it on my bookshelf as a loaner, which I rarely do. The prose is tight and not for the faint of heart. The characters' names are a delight: Malachy Morin, Damon Drex, Corny Chard. I didn't want this one to end and I look forward to others in the series as I follow Norman in his sleuthing and his romance, such as they are.
April 24, 2011
Alfred Acorn's Murder in the Museum of Man, book #1 in the "Norman de Rateur" series, is the most erudite, hilarious send-up of pompous academics and museologists I have ever come across. Main character Norman de Rateur, begins the story as the Recording Secretary of the Museum of Man (MOM), daily mourning the missed opportunity some 30 years in his past of wedding his long-lost love, Elsbeth. Over the course of the unfolding mystery--told through the vehicle of the "unofficial" log in which he meticulously documents the investigation of the murder of two academic deans who are cooked and cannibalized, apparently by some of their colleagues--Norman conquers any number of different obstacles with his intellect, scrupulous morals, impeccable manners, and rapier wit.
This book is a splendidly hilarious send-up of the sometimes unmitigated pomposity of academia, as surrounds a mixed anthropology/natural history museum beleaguered by a poorly-conceived and murkily- financed connection to both a Japanese pharmaceutical operation (which may/may not involve unauthorized and likely illegal research on the primates in Pan House) and a prestigious liberal arts college. Doubtless, Alcorn's years of employment at Harvard University's Museum of Natural History has coalesced in his keen eye as relates to the sheer lunacy of Homo academicus and the complex world of museums as both the arbiters and battlegrounds of education and taste.
Murder in the Museum is really first-rate stuff, and a novel format (sorry for the atrocious pun) of having the story unfold in the form of a journal. While Norman de Rateur is no swashbuckling archaeologist, he is certainly a Renaissance man who--when his back is against the wall--will engage his less refined instincts in the name of self-preservation and right. I can't wait to see where the story goes and want to give my sister a huge shout-out for an Easter Basket full of books--of which this was one.
This book is a splendidly hilarious send-up of the sometimes unmitigated pomposity of academia, as surrounds a mixed anthropology/natural history museum beleaguered by a poorly-conceived and murkily- financed connection to both a Japanese pharmaceutical operation (which may/may not involve unauthorized and likely illegal research on the primates in Pan House) and a prestigious liberal arts college. Doubtless, Alcorn's years of employment at Harvard University's Museum of Natural History has coalesced in his keen eye as relates to the sheer lunacy of Homo academicus and the complex world of museums as both the arbiters and battlegrounds of education and taste.
Murder in the Museum is really first-rate stuff, and a novel format (sorry for the atrocious pun) of having the story unfold in the form of a journal. While Norman de Rateur is no swashbuckling archaeologist, he is certainly a Renaissance man who--when his back is against the wall--will engage his less refined instincts in the name of self-preservation and right. I can't wait to see where the story goes and want to give my sister a huge shout-out for an Easter Basket full of books--of which this was one.
December 8, 2012
The opening of my Boston Globe review:
When pieces of Dean Cranston Fessing are discovered in a dumpster behind the gender-studies center at Wainscott University, having been roasted, sauteed, or baked in one delicate sauce or another, it is the best thing that ever happened to Norman de Ratour, mild-mannered recording secretary at the Museum of Man.
Dean Fessing, you see, was laying the groundwork to have the university swallow the museum, threatening not only to end the museum's sacred mission but also to downsize de Ratour out of the job he has held for more than 30 years.
De Ratour, the protagonist of "Murder in the Museum of Man," the third novel from Belmont author Alfred Alcorn, does not celebrate Fessing's demise; he is as shocked as any decent citizen of Seaboard, the somewhere-in-New-England setting of the book.
But then, he has no idea that cannibalism can lead to self-actualization.
http://michaelprager.com/Alfred-Alcor...
When pieces of Dean Cranston Fessing are discovered in a dumpster behind the gender-studies center at Wainscott University, having been roasted, sauteed, or baked in one delicate sauce or another, it is the best thing that ever happened to Norman de Ratour, mild-mannered recording secretary at the Museum of Man.
Dean Fessing, you see, was laying the groundwork to have the university swallow the museum, threatening not only to end the museum's sacred mission but also to downsize de Ratour out of the job he has held for more than 30 years.
De Ratour, the protagonist of "Murder in the Museum of Man," the third novel from Belmont author Alfred Alcorn, does not celebrate Fessing's demise; he is as shocked as any decent citizen of Seaboard, the somewhere-in-New-England setting of the book.
But then, he has no idea that cannibalism can lead to self-actualization.
http://michaelprager.com/Alfred-Alcor...
June 27, 2010
Read about this book/author in alumni magazine...sounded intriguing.
It wasn't.
Cannibalism is not an appealing or titillating topic for me.
Journal style telling of story seemed cumbersome and coy.
My favorite parts were the narrator's description of the the natural world he encounters on his walks to campus...especially very accurate, painterly descriptions of birds.
There were some funny references to university types.
But overall, this book spent a lot of time trying too hard to be clever.
Reading it felt like encountering someone at a cocktail party who stands too close to you and has the raconteur style of the "ancient mariner".
I won't be reading the next in the series.
It wasn't.
Cannibalism is not an appealing or titillating topic for me.
Journal style telling of story seemed cumbersome and coy.
My favorite parts were the narrator's description of the the natural world he encounters on his walks to campus...especially very accurate, painterly descriptions of birds.
There were some funny references to university types.
But overall, this book spent a lot of time trying too hard to be clever.
Reading it felt like encountering someone at a cocktail party who stands too close to you and has the raconteur style of the "ancient mariner".
I won't be reading the next in the series.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
April 23, 2014
Book started out slow...but I like the funny parts and I like Norman because he does not pretend to be the sleuth he truly is...again, did not like the part about the romantic interest, but this is a good read otherwise...:)
June 8, 2023
"Dean "Cranston Fessing, dispatched from Wainscott University to investigate finances of the neighboring Museum of Man, has been murdered. Not only that, but his grisly remains bear the unmistakable mark of haut cuisine. The police are baffled, and the media have a field day, dragging the name of the venerable museum through the mud. To get to the bottom of it all, and save his beloved museum from the University's institutional embrace, comes recording secretary Norman de Ratour, the most reluctant of heroes, the unlikeliest of sleuths.
"Disappointed in love thirty years ago, Norman lives a reclusive bachelor's existence, tormented by the memory of Elsbeth, and of his own timidity at a crucial amorous moment.
"Aided by the d-mail missives of an anonymous informant, and thwarted at every turn by his politically ambitious boss, Norman is thrust to center stage and begins to investigate a long list of suspects. Along the way he uncovers a cannibal cult in the anthropology department, creative writing in the primate pavilion, and Nietzchean ambitions in the genetics lab. It's a race to find the culprit, save the museum and reclaim his lost love before he himself winds up gracing the table of some fiendish gourmand.
"More than a murder mystery, Murder in the Museum of Man is a hilarious take on academic life, an incisive satire on contemporary preoccupations, and an indulgence in the blackest humor."
~~front & back flaps
It was the format, and Norman's character that drove me from this book. Our Norman has decided to keep a journal of his investigative adventures. Good idea, but it's written in typical labyrinthian intricacy, and after about 59 pages of it, I threw in the towel.
"Disappointed in love thirty years ago, Norman lives a reclusive bachelor's existence, tormented by the memory of Elsbeth, and of his own timidity at a crucial amorous moment.
"Aided by the d-mail missives of an anonymous informant, and thwarted at every turn by his politically ambitious boss, Norman is thrust to center stage and begins to investigate a long list of suspects. Along the way he uncovers a cannibal cult in the anthropology department, creative writing in the primate pavilion, and Nietzchean ambitions in the genetics lab. It's a race to find the culprit, save the museum and reclaim his lost love before he himself winds up gracing the table of some fiendish gourmand.
"More than a murder mystery, Murder in the Museum of Man is a hilarious take on academic life, an incisive satire on contemporary preoccupations, and an indulgence in the blackest humor."
~~front & back flaps
It was the format, and Norman's character that drove me from this book. Our Norman has decided to keep a journal of his investigative adventures. Good idea, but it's written in typical labyrinthian intricacy, and after about 59 pages of it, I threw in the towel.
December 17, 2025
Murder in the Museum of Man is a strange, cerebral mystery that quickly moves beyond a simple whodunit. Norman de Ratour, a quiet and methodical secretary, proves to be an unlikely but effective investigator as his case uncovers disturbing secrets buried within a city museum.
The story stands out for its originality and satirical edge, blending crime with unsettling themes like cult behavior and twisted science. While the pacing can feel more intellectual than suspense driven, the novel rewards readers who enjoy unconventional mysteries with dark humor and social commentary. It’s a memorable read for those who like their crime fiction smart, odd, and thought provoking.
The story stands out for its originality and satirical edge, blending crime with unsettling themes like cult behavior and twisted science. While the pacing can feel more intellectual than suspense driven, the novel rewards readers who enjoy unconventional mysteries with dark humor and social commentary. It’s a memorable read for those who like their crime fiction smart, odd, and thought provoking.
December 26, 2017
Great entertainment, and an anthropological eye opener as well. The author was at Harvard University's Museum of Natural History and writes from that point of view - that of a scholarly, formal, 19th century raconteur though with perhaps more ethics than those early explorers. Norman de Ratour is principled, guided by rules, careful and deft and cagey when it comes to politics. He triumphs over all the ridiculous academic gyrations.
Oh, and some surprising gormandizing!
Oh, and some surprising gormandizing!
September 24, 2020
As I've been reading much more i am also, i think, much more picky. A few pages in and i know this book was not for me. I have no patience or maybe interest in this writing style. Not a fair review since i gave up so early, but scanning ahead it didn't look different ahead for me.
February 15, 2022
It took about 100 pages for me to get into it, but I did find some bits pretty enjoyable.
After finishing it, I don't think I'll read more in the series though.
After finishing it, I don't think I'll read more in the series though.
December 23, 2023
The prissy, cultured, pedantic and officious hero is a delight. Wordplays, clever names, laugh-out-loud lines and bizarre supporting characters- - all enjoyable. The plot though is a misfire.
March 25, 2020
I admit that I did not manage to finish this book though I will try at another time in the future.
The part I read was written from the point of view of a very intelligent man who has a great deal of reverence for the museum where he works. He does not approve of the new administrator or the attempt of a university to take it over. He resents being appointed to media relations when an employee of the museum vanishes. When the man turns up dead, he is equally unprepared to deal with the police....and that's are far as I made it
The book has a very dry humor to it and I think the man keeping the record of events could be a very interesting character. For whatever reason I was just having a hard time getting in to it so it goes back to the shelf to wait for another day.
The part I read was written from the point of view of a very intelligent man who has a great deal of reverence for the museum where he works. He does not approve of the new administrator or the attempt of a university to take it over. He resents being appointed to media relations when an employee of the museum vanishes. When the man turns up dead, he is equally unprepared to deal with the police....and that's are far as I made it
The book has a very dry humor to it and I think the man keeping the record of events could be a very interesting character. For whatever reason I was just having a hard time getting in to it so it goes back to the shelf to wait for another day.
August 30, 2011
A very amusing mystery novel, involving a power struggle over the fate of the Museum of Man, cannibalism, eugenics, and a chimpanzee writing project — all under one roof. Real chimp lit! The arguments of political correctness concerning the proposed Neanderthal diarama were hysterical enough to produce the third death of the story. I learned of it through the Seattle Public Library's reading list "If You Like Arturo Perez-Reverte...".
February 14, 2012
I thought this would be an interesting read. A professor missing, later found murdered. He was prepared as a delicacy. The horror! I certainly wanted to get to the bottom of this. However, I found this book to be a chore in having to work so hard to read it. I just could not get absorbed. The narrator has a dry intellectual voice that failed to generate any excitement on my end. I am a fast reader but the journey was slow. After a week, I've given up.
June 18, 2011
It took me a hundred pages or so to get this book. I couldn't quite figure it out. But then I chuckled through it. They almost lost as many Deans as probation workers on Misfits. Nice having a narrator who's a bit clueless, so I can feel smart.
June 14, 2014
Meh. It took me forever to get through this book. Partly because I have a new baby and partly because this book was a little on the dry side. Being a mystery, I wanted to find out who the culprit was. Big whoop.
March 9, 2009
Too silly...
April 10, 2009
Too clever by half. Well-written but close to terminally cute!
August 20, 2009
Not worth reading - skipped to the end way before it was done.
March 18, 2012
Light and fun (despite the cannibalism), but not so great that I'll keep reading.
July 9, 2012
Boring!
August 26, 2012
Enjoyable mystery. Reminded me of Russo's Straight Man, but with cannibalism. Not really a mystery you can solve though, which I'm more used to, but still a fun ride. Will definitely read the rest.
March 16, 2014
A delicious mix of murder mystery, academic politics, satire, and cannibalism. Couldn't stop chuckling.
January 30, 2016
Hilarious, macabre murder mystery set in the Museum of Man and poking fun at academia and pedantic museum administrator types. It's a different kind of mystery. Really liked it.
April 2, 2016
Didn't like the writing, and as an academic I found the caricatures so extreme as to destroy any plausibility. Wanted to like it, so very disappointed.
Displaying 1 - 28 of 28 reviews