Saratoga Bestiary

Charlie Bradshaw #5

by Stephen Dobyns

What's Super Bowl Sunday without a little gambling party in Saratoga Springs? By bedtime, private detective Charlie Bradshaw's a busy man. The bash has been robbed, Charlie hasn't recovered a stolen painting and a grocer lies dead behind his cash register. The names of five heavy gamblers promise to hold the key to the murder...and maybe much more. Charlie's investigation veers toward terror as it twists through a netherworld of unpleasant surprises. "Dobyns is a graceful, assured writer with felicity of word and phrase. His characters spring to life, and he captures the charm of Saratoga Springs, both past and present." (The Washington Post)

Genres: Mystery

304 pages, Mass Market Paperback

First published January 1, 1988

About the author

Dobyns was raised in New Jersey, Michigan, Virginia, and Pennsylvania. He was educated at Shimer College, graduated from Wayne State University, and received an MFA from the Iowa Writers' Workshop at the University of Iowa in 1967. He has worked as a reporter for the Detroit News.

He has taught at various academic institutions, including Sarah Lawrence College, the Warren Wilson College MFA Program for Writers, the University of Iowa, Syracuse University, and Boston University.

In much of his poetry and some works of non-genre fiction, Dobyns employs extended tropes, using the ridiculous and the absurd as vehicles to introduce more profound meditations on life, love, and art. He shies neither from the low nor from the sublime, and all in a straightforward narrative voice of reason. His journalistic training has strongly informed this voice.

Reviews

[Paul · Rating 4 out of 5]

A return to form after the last book leaving me feeling a little disappointed. There was quite a bit of action in this one and some good detective work, not to mention Dobyns' usual brand of dark yet somewhat silly humour.

People who find descriptions of animals being hurt and killed might want to give this one a miss, though.

[Dpromano · Rating 5 out of 5]

Saratoga Bestiary is one of the best linear mysteries I've ever read. It is a brilliant mix of plotting and a searing examination of the human condition. Even those that despise mystery will find this intelligent and truly thrilling story of interest. A must read.

[Michelle · Rating 1 out of 5]

This book was just OK, there was lots of action (three separate mysteries) but I was very unimpressed with the detective Charlie Bradshaw. Charlie personifies a third rate private eye, in that he goes through the motions of investigation but always seems to be one step behind the the action. Although all investigators are to be as in the dark as the readers and we come to a realisation of the solution together I felt that Charlie was a little incompetent and, unlike other mystery books I have read, his disorganised personal life did not endear him to me, it was just an additional irritation in the story. I cannot recommend this book, there are much better mystery novels out there and life is too short.

[Michael · Rating 3 out of 5]

Book # 5 -best to date, lots of local color including roaming around Albany and Saratoga. Decent plot. I will continue to read the series.

[LJ · Rating 3 out of 5]

Dobyns, Stephen – Saratoga Bestiary – G
What's Super Bowl Sunday without a little gambling party in Saratoga Springs? By bedtime, private detective Charlie Bradshaw's a busy man. The bash has been robbed, Charlie hasn't recovered a stolen painting and a grocer lies dead behind his cash register.

The names of five heavy gamblers promise to hold the key to the murder...and maybe much more. Charlie's investigation veers toward terror as it twists through a netherworld of unpleasant surprises.

He’s no Dick Francis but does write an enjoyable series set in Saratoga, NY. This entry deals with a stolen painting of Man-O-War, a dead bookie and dog fighting.

[David · Rating 4 out of 5]

Detective Charlie Bradshaw has grown up in Saratoga all his life. He can’t believe he is 50. His self talk has a lot of self doubt which is out of the ordinary for a detective novel. He is an ex-cop. This story takes him into the sub culture of gamblers. he finds they are more present than he ever realized. At times I did not like this book but I am glad I read it and will read his other works. There is a description of a dog fight and later in the book a dog vs horse fight. The first is a gambling situation the second is infiltration of the dog fight owners property. I found them distasteful.

[Riley Reinhold · Rating 5 out of 5]

I have read so far about seven office novels of his Charly Bradshaw series ..this is so far the greatest one.