Murder at the Mendel

A Joanne Kilbourn Mystery #2

by Gail Bowen

As a child Joanne was friends with Sally Love and her parents, but the friendship languished after Sally’s father died and she moved away, eventually becoming a very controversial artist. When the Mendel Gallery opens an exhibition of Sally’s work, Joanne is eager to attend and to renew their friendship. But it’s not so easy being Sally’s friend anymore, and soon Joanne finds herself ensnared in a web of intrigue and violence. When the director of a local private gallery is brutally murdered, Joanne finds that the past she and Sally share was far more complicated, and far more sordid, than she had realized.

Genres: Mystery, Canada, Fiction, Audiobook, Crime, Mystery Thriller, Suspense

216 pages, Mass Market Paperback

First published January 1, 1991

About the author

Gail Dianne Bowen (née Bartholomew) is a Canadian playwright and writer of mystery novels. Born in Toronto, Ontario, Bowen was educated at the University of Toronto, the University of Waterloo and the University of Saskatchewan. She subsequently taught English in Saskatchewan, and is currently a professor of English at First Nations University of Canada. Bowen's mystery novels feature Joanne Kilbourn, a widowed mother, political analyst and university professor who finds herself occasionally involved in criminal investigations in various parts of Saskatchewan. Many have been adapted as Canadian television movies by Shaftesbury Films.

Series:
* Joanne Kilbourn Mystery

Awards:
Arthur Ellis Award
◊ Best Novel (1995): A Colder Kind of Death

Reviews

[Robyn · Rating 3 out of 5]

Entertaining page turner, and of course I have a soft spot for books set in Saskatoon (especially when the protagonist lives on the same street as I did during university!). But, there was a lot in here that if written today would be considered pretty offensive (published in 1991), and the ending was dumb and left a lot only vaguely explained. I still look forward to working my way through the series.

[Elinor · Rating 4 out of 5]

I'm playing catchup with Joanne Kilburn. She's the smart, sassy, widowed mother of three teenagers, who has moved to a new university teaching job in Saskatoon, Saskatchewan to escape the unhappy memories of almost being murdered in her home city of Regina. However, murder seems to dog her tracks -- otherwise it wouldn't be a mystery! This time around, someone very close to her gets the chop: Joanne's artistic friend, who is on the cutting edge of the art scene, paints genitalia and exhibits her work at the Mendel Art Gallery. The plot revolves around an interesting cast of artists, lovers, and spouses. One subplot involves an older man sleeping with a thirteen-year-old girl which was very disturbing. I had trouble understanding the motivation of some characters, including Joanne herself, but it was a good read nevertheless.

[Linda Power · Rating 3 out of 5]

Interesting read. Will seek out the next book in the series.

[Diane · Rating 3 out of 5]

Not my favorite. A little over the top strangeness. I have been reading Bowen's books as I can get them rather than in order. This explained how Taylor came to live with Joanne and her family. So pieces of the story are coming together.

I enjoy the going about her day in Saskatchewan more than the actual mystery which I did figure out before she did. Joanne is a likable person although sometimes a little naive, and her children are lovely and well behaved.

Driving across the frozen lake in February unnerved me. So, lots of interesting bits.

[Erin L · Rating 3 out of 5]

Saskatoon, SK is the nearest city to where I grew up so reading a mystery set there is a bit of a treat. I know the Mendel and much of the area the story takes place in.

This is a mystery written and set in the 90s. And in some ways it shows its age with the main character grading papers on the Meech Lake failure among other 90s references (was it still the Silver Broom in 90?) Regardless, that didn't detract much from the book for me. Maybe I just enjoyed the familiar setting so much that I ignored that.

There were things I figured out long before the main character did, but I forgive her naivete as sometimes we have trouble looking past what we want to see in the people we love. This includes the relationship between Joanne and her daughter as well.

Good read.

[Holly · Rating 2 out of 5]

I chose this book as part of one of those 2015 reading challenges--read a book set where you live. This was the only book that came up in my search. Also, I remember having read Gail Bowen when I lived in Regina, though looking back, it must have been the first book in the series since that was the only one published before I moved away.

This was truly just okay. Not terrible, but I wouldn't recommend going out of your way to read it. The thing about the book is that I chose to read it since it was set in Saskatoon, but, aside from the names of streets and some other places (Mendel Art Gallery), there is nothing in the city that I recognize. What I mean is that the names are there but not as the places I know. The whole premise of the book is that relatively famous artist Sally Love has an exhibit of erotic art (bordering on pornography) being installed--some of it permanently--at the Mendel. Sally is an old friend of Joanne Kilbourn (who is lecturing for this year only at the U of S), so Joanne is invited to all of the hoity-toity events surrounding Sally and her art. The problem is that I can't imagine this type of exhibit opening at the Mendel, which is very much a family-friendly gallery. On the other hand, once the show opens in the book, there are all of these rabid protesters outside the gallery who are there day after day. Honestly, this doesn't ring true either, which is key because, of course, the first murders take place at the exhibit. There is just nothing about the city that rings true to me... I realize that this is supposed to be set 20-something years ago, so maybe it was truer then, but still...

On top of that, I found it incredibly annoying that Joanne for some reason is great friends with Sally--who seems like an incredible flake and all-around not very nice person--and constantly seems to side with her, particularly since they basically haven't seen or spoken to each other in more than 20 years. And then, although Joanne sort of gets tangled up in the murders that start to take place, she is really on the periphery of them. Really, not much information is provided in the book into the investigation (which is done entirely by police who show up in the plot only a couple of times). Joanne just knows people who know the murdered ones.... And eventually, as the bodies pile up (although not until very near the end), some of the people she knows quite well get killed or more involved in the killings.

As I write this now, I realize that the book really did annoy me quite a lot, though while I was reading it, it didn't seem that bad. I will perhaps pick up another of Gail Bowen's more recent outings but I wouldn't recommend this one.

[C. (Comment, don't blank click reviews). · Rating 4 out of 5]

We know when we are in the hands of a quality author. Gail Bowen draws us in instantly. I feel déjà-vu about the toddler. I believe I read volume III long ago but didn’t dig it. I was unaware it belonged with a series; accustomed to single-story gothic mysteries. I tried the opener this year and loved it. “Murder At The Mendel”, though violent and grotesque, was an impressively well-layered mystery that revved into a pounding pace. Much more profoundly than the Mother and Grandmother of Gail’s first victim, this story goes far back into a fatal time in the protagonist’s childhood.

She and best friend, Sally Love, were about fifteen when Joanne found them nearly poisoned at home. The beloved Father died in hospital and Sally was whisked away by the family’s male friend. Her Mom was like a second Mother to Joanne but Sally distrusted her. The women lost contact, until Joanna and her boys moved to Saskatoon in this novel. The Mendel is the gallery of Sally’s ex-husband. She, a famous artist, is débuting a sexual mural that precipitates inappropriate activism and murder. Sally’s tiny daughter is proving to be an artistic genius, inspiring this lone wolf to request custody and raise her in British Columbia.

There is such a suspense and a completely original premise from book to book; I canter along, always eager to continue! All of her people are interesting. She creates a personal connection with Joanne that makes her involvement realistic. This time of course she protects lifelong friends. The intensity and quality of Gail’s mysteries isn't watered down or cute. This is grown-up subject matter, a great deal of it surprising me. This frankness is a good change. Four stars are merely the result of this novel’s terrible people and unsavoury tones.

[Elizabeth · Rating 2 out of 5]

This was a disappointment after I enjoyed the first book in the series so much. I think it was all the extremist women's groups and the shock art neither of which are very interesting to me. One of the characters had a Lolita past too which was very distasteful and so was the reason for a blackmail scheme. Very few of the characters were interesting people - they were self-centered or weak or grasping or unhinged.

I don't know that I'll read the next in the series.

[Toni Perreira · Rating 2 out of 5]

I rated this book lower than the first because in this second book, I decided I really am not a fan of Joanne, the MC. She’s dismissive, rude, inconsiderate and self centered. I have another book queued up because I’m hoping she changes. Still seeing that she makes rush assumptions which put her in harms way and for someone who is supposed to be intelligent, I find her tunnel vision annoying.

[Dorothy · Rating 3 out of 5]

Well-written, a step up from cozies, however Bowen is not good at red herrings. Easy to guess murderer, so it becomes a weakness of protagonist for not recognizing the "obvious".

[Holly Stone · Rating 3 out of 5]

Still not my favorite but this one went a lot faster than the first. Joanne Kilbourn is once again in the middle of a mess 32 years earlier her friend Sally Love nearly lost her life in a murder suicide with her parents her Father Desmond Love was killed her Mother Nina was at deaths door as was Sally herself only the quick thinking of Joanne to run for her Father saved mother and daughter...Sally is now a renowned artist and her subject matter leaves some in shock and others in a fury...She has painted a fresco and given it to the Mendel Museum titled Erotobiography subject matter genitalia of both sexes she has personal knowledge of... As Jo reconnects with her oldest friend bodies start dropping who could be behind the killings Jo will have to revisit some long buried old memories to figure this one out

[Ethan · Rating 5 out of 5]

Absolutely gripping from start to finish, this novel is as thrilling and addictive as any pot boiler you could wish for — and what makes it even more special is that it’s set right here in my own province! The story draws you in with Joanne’s nostalgic connection to Sally Love, whose transformation from childhood friend to controversial artist feels so vivid and real. The tension ramps up perfectly as Joanne gets caught in the twists of intrigue and violence surrounding the art world here at home. The local setting adds a rich, authentic backdrop that makes every page pulse with familiarity and suspense. If you love a page-turner that combines mystery, complex characters, and a dose of local flavor, this book will not disappoint!

[Neill Smith · Rating 5 out of 5]

When Joanne Kilbourn was fifteen years old the father of her best friend, Sally Love, tried to kill himself and his wife. He died but she lived. Years later Sally had become a renowned artist famous for both her artistic talent and her choice of erotic subjects. When Joanne moved to Saskatoon after her near death in the first book of the series, she connects again with Sally and her mother. As various groups demonstrate against Sally’s erotic art Joanne is drawn into the furor created and as the demonstrations become violent Joanne finds deeper ramifications among people from Sally’s past history terminating in violence and death.

[Dianne Landry · Rating 4 out of 5]

I love the Canadian setting of this book.

Joanne Kilbourn's childhood friend friend, the srtist Sally Love, has an exhibit at greater Mendel Gallery in Saskatoon. Because of the exotic nature of the art there are protesters outside. Joanne attends the opening and reminders of the past come flooding back.

Not long after the opening Sally's former business partner, Clea is murdered and Sally is a suspect.

What I liked about the book is that Joanne doesn't do any sleuthing and interfering. Things just fall into place making it much more realistic.

I did have the murderer figured out pretty early on but that in no way diminished my enjoyment of the book.

[Cecilia · Rating 2 out of 5]

Joanne and Sally were childhood friends until a violent event took Sally's father and they drifted apart. Years later Sally has become a well-known and controversial artist. The local gallery is presenting some of her work and this event becomes the catalyst not only to bring Sally and Joanne back together but also to become the venue of a graphic and brutal series of murders.

The plot is weak and vague as is the development of the characters and how the story unfolds. Joanne's loyalties and trust are misplaced and her friend Sally is indifferent and narcissistic. This was not a compelling mystery by any measure.

[Ryley Balon · Rating 4 out of 5]

Gail lived a house or two away from my parents when I was born and wrote in the book that I was to read it on my 16th birthday. I started to read it when I was 32, turning 33. I have never read any of her works before and didn't know that this is actually the 2nd book in the series. The way she writes is actually pretty cool. She kept me guessing and guessing until the very end! The only thing that I did not like about the book is the fact that she used street names shared by Regina and Saskatoon, so I kept picturing it in the wrong place.

[Ollie Ander · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5/5 rounded up.
I read Murder at the Mendel for a course in mystery literature and it is one of the two that I enjoyed and remained with me. As someone who hadn't spent much time in the genre, I was quite enlightened by the perspectives presented to me by the characters in this novel. Until I met Gillian Flynn's work, the idea of such twisted female personality traits escaping in our modern world was a shocking revelation when I first read this book. A fun mystery with an unreliable narrator!

[Ann Tonks · Rating 3 out of 5]

I picked this up at a second hand book shop while travelling around Canada and liked finding the "Canadian-ness" of it. I also enjoyed the well drawn characters and back stories and although there were elements of the story when I did raise my eyebrows and say "really?", overall, it was an interesting read.

[Mary Anne · Rating 3 out of 5]

There were too many dead bodies as though the author wanted to get rid of an entire family so the main character could adopt the orphaned child. It seems that the only innocent death was the first that happened in the past. All other deaths happened to people who had flaws, were deceitful or immoral somehow. It seems a bit too judgemental and contrived.

[Larry Epp · Rating 3 out of 5]

And now another Bowen mystery -- it was good entertainment on a trip. Again -- nice to read a mystery using places I know first hand: love and family and jealousy and professional standards and "what is the nature of art"? and a few murders all intriguingly solved -- no real happy-ever-after in these stories. Real damage is done to people.

[Kathe]

This is the second in the series starring the relatable Joanne Kilbourn, a Saskatchewan-based professor who keeps stumbling over murders. I probably read it when it came out, but I was looking for a short and diverting mystery, which this is. The characters are sharply drawn and the plot is satisfyingly twisty and turny. Highly recommended.

[Julie · Rating 3 out of 5]

If every person you know and meet says there's something deeply wrong with someone you admire, wouldn't you ask them "What do you have against ole so-and-so?"

When authors don't have people do things that are that obvious, plots tend to fall apart. And this one fell hard.

I like Joanne and her family. Everyone else was ooky.

I still enjoyed it because I'm feeling super mellow.

[Joey Patapas · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is only the second Gail Bowen novel that I have read, but I really enjoy her style. She really brings Saskatchewan to life in her stories; this time in Saskatoon. The characters are quite complex and there is so much more to them than meets the eye. Well crafted, she left me questing until the end.

[Kathy MacDonald · Rating 1 out of 5]

I was really out off as soon as I got a few pages in at the vulgarity of the opening chapter. To make matters worse decent people who were protesting a vulgar display at an art gallery were made out to be brutal monsters intent on hurting people. I was sorely disappointed because I quite enjoyed the author’s first book in the series but I won’t be reading any more of Gail Bowen’s books.

[Cybercrone · Rating 1 out of 5]

More boring, more predictable and the protagonist too stupid to live.

I gave one of the books further along in the series a 3, so going to try another in that part of the series and see if there is any improvement.

[Debbie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Second entry in the Joanne Kilbourn series set in Saskatoon, Saskatchewan.

It's an excellent mystery, although a little heavy on the feminist issues.
Pg 118 Two women began to sing a cappella and the casket was brought in. It was covered in a quilt with a clitoral pattern, peach and ivory.

[Jehnie · Rating 3 out of 5]

If the main character didn't have the same name and the same kids, you'd never guess this is the second book in the series. Everything else about her personality and background felt totally disconnected to the first book.

The plot was fine but it left a lot of issues on the table.

[Patricia · Rating 4 out of 5]

I like this series of mysteries set in Saskatchewan. They're rich in character development and relationships - much more so than the average whodunnit. And if I guessed pretty early on who the murderer was this time, it didn't diminish my enjoyment of this fast-paced read.

[Colleen · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a super fun read!

[Cheryl · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is the second book in the enjoyable Joanne Kilbourn mystery series, that is set in Saskatchewan.