The Inklings Detective Agency [a review]

Lovers of the writings of JRR Tolkien and CS Lewis are no doubt familar with their famed writer's group, the Inklings. But what if the Inklings also secretly worked as detectives? This is the charming conceit behind John R. Kelly's new novel, The Inklings Detective Agency. Kelly is clearly a fan of not only Lewis and Tolkien, but of all the British literature generated during that remarkable time, as it's not just the Inklings that make an appearance but rather all the who's who ofthe Brit Lit world at the time, such as Dorothy Sayers and Agatha Christie.

When a terrifying, occultic murder occurs, a mythic crime novelist appears in the Rabbit Room at the Bird and Baby, their favored local pub. He adjures the group of otherwise rather staid writers that they must help solve this case. Traversing the whole of England and Scotland and having to face villains like the real-life occultist Aleister Crowley, the Inklings are pushed to their limits to get to the bottom of the disturbing crime spree before it's too late.

It's a cozy, affectionate murder mystery for fans of the Inklings, though oftentimes I found myself wishing that Kelly would trust his readers more, use a lighter touch on the overt moralistic narration, and try a little less hard to zipper his tale into real-life happenings. All the same, it's mostly possible to just take it as a fun little bit of imaginative fan service for those who appreciate the Inklings.

DISCLAIMER: I received a copy of this book from the publisher for the purpose of a fair, unbiased review.