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A Stab at Life
Former bookseller Richard King has created two memorable characters in his mystery novel, A Stab at Life. Annie Linton, RN, is a nurse in the Emergency Department of the Gursky Memorial Hospital in Montreal and Gilles Bellechasse is a detective in the Major Crimes Division of the Montreal Police Force. Gilles is in charge of investigating a series of murders that have occurred in a park and the area surrounding the Gursky Memorial located in the Cote-des-Neiges area of the city. Suspects include members of a vigilante group devoted to getting drug dealers out of the park, a jealous husband, a mysterious woman of whom nude drawings turn up in one of the murder victim’s bedroom, and competing drug dealers. Annie’s excellent diagnostic skill plays a critical role in solving the crime. King’s mysteries are reminiscent of the originators of the mystery genre such as Agatha Christie and Rex Stout. A Stab at Life will delight fans of murder mysteries and have them waiting impatiently for the next novel in the series.
240 pages, Paperback
Published April 1, 2020
About the author
Richard King
240 books19 followersLibrarian Note: There is more than one author in the Goodreads database with this name.
Richard King is the Founder & CEO at Product Marketing Alliance, the number one product marketing community. In just two years, the PMA has grown to 60,000+ members, boasting multiple accredited certifications and partnering with renowned brands like Microsoft, TikTok, Salesforce, Gong, Intuit, and Google.
Richard King is the Founder & CEO at Product Marketing Alliance, the number one product marketing community. In just two years, the PMA has grown to 60,000+ members, boasting multiple accredited certifications and partnering with renowned brands like Microsoft, TikTok, Salesforce, Gong, Intuit, and Google.
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Displaying 1 - 5 of 5 reviews
July 28, 2025
★★★
Summer Reading: Murder Across Canada
Province/Territory: Quebec
A good mystery that takes place in the Cote-des-Neiges area of Montreal. I spent 11 years in Montreal, from age 4 to 15, so some of the places referenced in the book were familiar. Others were fictionalized versions of real locations but I enjoyed the setting very much.
I also liked that the amateur sleuth in this story was a nurse. I don't remember reading a mystery where a nurse played an active role in solving the crime. Annie meets Gilles Bellechasse, a police officer, when he arrives at the emergency room after being shot by drug dealers and she is his nurse. As their relationship develops, so does the mystery they get embroiled in.
The book is written entirely in third person which I suppose is not that unusual but in this case, I found it really kept me at arms length from the characters. While I was engaged with the mystery, I didn't really care too much about Annie or Gilles, although I think I could have cared more for them if the writing did something to bring me closer to one or both of them.
I'd pick up the next one if this becomes a series.
Summer Reading: Murder Across Canada
Province/Territory: Quebec
A good mystery that takes place in the Cote-des-Neiges area of Montreal. I spent 11 years in Montreal, from age 4 to 15, so some of the places referenced in the book were familiar. Others were fictionalized versions of real locations but I enjoyed the setting very much.
I also liked that the amateur sleuth in this story was a nurse. I don't remember reading a mystery where a nurse played an active role in solving the crime. Annie meets Gilles Bellechasse, a police officer, when he arrives at the emergency room after being shot by drug dealers and she is his nurse. As their relationship develops, so does the mystery they get embroiled in.
The book is written entirely in third person which I suppose is not that unusual but in this case, I found it really kept me at arms length from the characters. While I was engaged with the mystery, I didn't really care too much about Annie or Gilles, although I think I could have cared more for them if the writing did something to bring me closer to one or both of them.
I'd pick up the next one if this becomes a series.
May 2, 2020
A Montreal set nurse, cops and dealers mystery that pays homage to the real life changes happening in the real neighborhoods where the fiction takes place. There are so many Montreal references that you are going to want to go for a dozen black seed and a dozen white when you put this one down.
I enjoyed the banter of the characters and the use of city geography in the plot. The linguistic and cultural communities - and the divides between them - are well presented and help drive the plot. You can almost smell Place Versailles from the description in the text.
I recommend this book.
I enjoyed the banter of the characters and the use of city geography in the plot. The linguistic and cultural communities - and the divides between them - are well presented and help drive the plot. You can almost smell Place Versailles from the description in the text.
I recommend this book.
August 29, 2020
This was a very enjoyable tour of Montreal and the author portrays the cultural atmosphere of the city with lots of good vivid detail. The plot and the characters, however, are unfortunately below average.
January 9, 2022
I love anything about Montreal so I read this. It was ok! Of course I enjoyed all the references and the familiar places. A murder mystery.
January 17, 2020
There should be a star for "disappointing". Average murder mystery that doesn't know if it wants to be cozy or gritty. It succeeds more at being cozy with f-bombs thrown in for what passes as grittiness. Several suspensions of belief are necessary to carry the plot forward.
Displaying 1 - 5 of 5 reviews