Body Art – Partners in Crime IV
June 8, 2009
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Title: Body Art – Partners in Crime IV
Author: Jordan Castillo Price
Publisher: MLR Press
Genre: Contemporary Murder Mystery
Length: Novella
Rating: 4.5 stars out of 5
A Guest Review by Aunt Lynn
THE BLURB
His lover has betrayed and swindled Ray Carlucci out of everything he valued, including a tattoo business. Hounded by creditors, weary of heart, he accepts the job of chauffeur and body man for the dying owner of a remote estate. The island, minus its wealthy summer colony, is colorless in winter and Ray thinks he understands why staff on the estate periodically desert. But, he’s baffled by, then drawn to, Anton, the eccentric artist who haunts the forest, bringing strange life to bizarre and disquieting sculptures amidst the ice and trees. When the body of a man who once held Ray’s job rises from the frosty earth, Ray wonders what part Anton’s wildness has in the escalating violence.
THE REVIEW
Body Art is the first story by Jordan Castillo Price I’ve read, and though I like her writing style a lot — it’s tight and spare — the second novella in the Art of Dying: Partners in Crime IV (Lovers and Other Strangers by Josh Lanyon is reviewed here) is, in my opinion, the slightly weaker of the two.
BA is told in first person POV by Ray, a broke, down-and-out tattoo artist, running from creditors and looking for a steady job and a place to stay. Answering an ad for a live-in driver, Ray is hired by the elderly wife of an elderly man with Alzheimer’s on Red Wing Island in Michigan. Once he arrives, he finds out, among other things, that his job also will include playing sometime muscle (read “male nurse”) to “Mr.,” as he is called (she is called “Mrs.”). He also meets Anton Kopec, the sexy, enigmatic, eccentric artist next door. Ray felt very real to me as someone who failed, who wants to pick up the pieces and start anew, and who will do what it takes to achieve that. He easily could have fallen into the too-common trap of homelessness (on the streets, that is), but was fortunate enough to have someone take a chance on him.
The author has created a handful of colorful, three-dimensional characters. Our other hero, Anton, is a moody, adventurous, unstable sculptor with bipolar disorder who is has serious chemistry with Ray. No matter how small the scene, Anton looms larger than life with his antics and provides a bit of comic relief to an otherwise somber story. I loved him, even with all of his unpredictability. I was intrigued by the fact that even though they are both artists, Ray deals in permanence and Anton often works in the temporary. Also, Ray has a steady hand and a fairly laid-back personality, and Anton is quick-moving, always running, darting, pulling, straining, both in physical movement and personality.
Of the secondary cast, Marnie, the cook, is the most vivid as someone who shares some understanding with Ray. The smexxin was steamy and sensual, and the mystery element sufficiently complex. I was left guessing until the reveal, though I admit the below 5-star rating is because I am still not sure why the whodunit did it. I should say that we are given an explanation, but without spoilers, I can only say that it didn’t make much sense to me.
OVERALL
Body Art is a well-written and even-paced story that fans of Price’s will probably love, and mystery buffs will like as well. Even with my single issue, I highly recommend it.
Author Information
Wave
Madonna196
Bogusia
Larissa
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Lynn
This sounds like a really complex set of characters and story. Even though it's not clear why the murderer did it, I am definitely going to try and "suss it out"*g* (not that I'll do any better than you, I'm sure. I love Jordan's writing, especially her characters and I look forward to Body Art.
I love this author so I'm definitely checking this out. Glad to see the mystery lasts to the end.
Wave, it is complex. There's a lot going on in a fairly short space — elder care, digging your way out of ruin, compromises in ones pride, starting a new job, weather issues, getting into a new relationship with a man who has an emotional disorder. It's done well. And it is quite possible someone who is a mystery buff may feel differently about the reveal than I did, and if so, I'd love to hear from them!
Tam, love her? Love this book, I'm sure.
JCP is one of my faves so I will be definitely getting this book too.
Does anyone know whether this will be coming out (and when) in ebook format?? I think the others in the PiC series came out through Loose Id.
Kris
Aspen Mountain Press, July 10th (I think).
Thanks Wave!
Kris, if you're a fan of her's it's a must read. And Josh's contribution to the collection isn't too shabby, either.
Aspen Mountain Press, July 10th (I think).
It's been delayed again. We're now looking at the end of the month. The 31st.
Thanks Josh. I'll be sure to pass the word along.