Grave Doubts: A Quin and Morgan Mystery

Quin and Morgan mysteries #2

by John Moss

The discovery of two headless corpses dressed in colonial clothing and locked in a grisly embrace draws Detectives Miranda Quin and David Morgan of the Toronto Police Service into a Gothic mixture of sex and death that ultimately threatens their survival.

What if the difference between good and evil is only perception?

Beginning with morbid curiosity, Miranda and Morgan get caught up in a story of inspired depravity. Through revelations in such diverse locations as a Toronto demolition site, a lonely farmhouse on Georgian Bay, the crypt of a derelict church, and inside the murky depths of a shipwreck, this perverse account of love, lust, and murder builds to a horrific crescendo. Seduced by their own personal demons, Quin and Morgan might not find their considerable skills and strong bonds enough this time to help them overcome the terrors that await.

Genres: Mystery, Procedural

336 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 2009

About the author

John Moss writes mysteries because nothing brings life into focus like the murder of strangers. Elected a Fellow of the Royal Society of Canada in 2006 in recognition of his career as a professor of Canadian literature with over a score of books in his field, John moved progressively away from literary criticism to creative writing, before settling comfortably into the Quin and Morgan series which now occupies his writing efforts full time. He and his wife, Beverley Haun, whose book, Inventing ‘Easter Island’, grew out of her work as a cultural theorist and their travel adventures as scuba divers, share a stone farmhouse with numerous ghosts in Peterborough, Ontario. Recently sidelined from his diving avocation (he was an instructor in both PADI and SDI programs), John and Bev have no intention of giving up whitewater canoeing and cross-country skiing with old friends, or taking long hikes in interesting places around the world.

John is professor emeritus at the University of Ottawa.

Reviews

[Alexander Inglis · Rating 4 out of 5]

John Moss has written a cracker of a police procedural mystery, Grave Doubts. This is one of several "Castle Street Mystery" titles from Canadian publisher Dundurn Press.

Late on a wintry night, Toronto homicide detectives Miranda Quin and David Morgan are called to a Hoggs Hollow home in a ritzy suburb, with pioneer roots, where two decapitated mummified bodies have been found dressed in 1850s period clothing. Greeted by fellow police officer Rachel Naismith already on the scene, they are quickly joined by Royal Ontario Museum expert Shelagh Hubbard who, with a colleague, examine the remains for authenticity. In short order, the heads themselves are retrieved from a laundry chute. The bodies were found in a lovers embrace; the heads apparently kissing in the other "room". But all is not as it appears to be: the murders are, in fact, recent and the whole grisly scene has been staged. Enter Alexander Pope, an Ontario pioneer era reconstruction expert, and, as the scene changes to a small community north of Toronto, local turban wearing constabularly Peter Singh enters the drama as well.

Author Moss knows his art history, and displays a fine love of Toronto and local cottage country -- Georgian Bay and environs -- where a good deal of the action takes place. He creates strong characters and delivers motivation, and empathy, for the good guys and the villains, as well as delivering some fine twists and terrific episodes of suspense. This is the second of two Quin and Morgan tales; the first is Still Waters. Plus: Moss has three more titles in the pipe including the just released Reluctant Dead.

Highly recommended and happily available as an ebook from Kobo and Kindle.

[Clare · Rating 4 out of 5]

I liked this one a lot. I really enjoy Canadian mysteries, and Dundurn publishes some great ones. I grew up reading my mum and dad's mysteries, all set in England, and never really was able to place myself in them. But these streets of Toronto are familiar, as are the back roads of Collingwood, Owen Sound, and other locations in Grave Doubts.

I enjoy Quin and Morgan as a team, their intellectual pursuits and their relationship with each other. I look forward to reading more.

[Lynn Kearney · Rating 3 out of 5]

The author writes like an Eng lang and lit professor, which is OK. Less OK when he has his plods, detective sergeants Quin and Morgan, and everyone else, do the same. Liked the Toronto and Ontario locales. Baroque plot.

[Michelle · Rating 2 out of 5]

I liked the main characters and finished the book to find out 'whodunnit' but I found the author tried too hard to show how knowledgeable he is about esoteric topics. The ending wasn't particularly satisfying.

[Alex Léger · Rating 2 out of 5]

Good mystery. Not so great writing style. Author is trying too hard to be intellectual and artistic and making his characters do the same.