MYSTERY OF THE MONTH Erasing Memory: A McNiece Mystery by Scott Thornley

Mystery of the Month – December 2023

Dr. D. is a professor of philosophy and theology, and a lover of things mysterious, fantastical, and literary. As far as mysteries go, his happy quest for the perfect plot has led him into the company of Holmes and Poirot, Maigret and Lupin, and, more recently, of Dalgliesh, Lynley, and a host of other British and not-so-British wielders of the little grey cells. When it comes to the fantastical, he remains a devotee of Tolkein and the like (with a tip of the hat to Lewis and Chesterton) and an avid reader of Guy Gavriel Kay. His interests in literature have always been tied to those authors whose work intersects with his professional pursuits, though more recently he has been happy to have his horizons widened by his lovely wife. 

I’m starting this ‘Mystery of the Month’ series with the first installment of Scott Thornley’s MacNiece Mysteries. Since reading my way through P.D. James’ Dalgliesh novels, I’ve been looking around for other mystery writers who prize smart characters, well-written scenes, and realistic and engaging dialogue. I am happy to have found such a writer in Scott Thornley (and even happier that there are, to date, five novels in this series).

To begin, Detective Superintendent MacNeice proudly takes his place next to the likes of Lynley and Morse. He is a character of considerable depth with a past that grounds him but does not get the better of him. As a detective, he is a deductionist in the spirit of Holmes and Poirot, but his observations never verge into the absurd. In fact, in order to keep the story realistic, he is surrounded by a team of able investigators to whom Thornley dedicates the time and care to create compelling characters in their own right.

If the first novel doesn’t deliver the best of endings (my quest continues!), it starts off with a truly chilling scene (and murderer!) and propels the reader into a plot of sophistication and international intrigue. And, as a bonus for everyone who has passed through the Steel City, the books are set in a fictionalized Hamilton, Ontario (which Thornley calls Dundurn).

I’m looking forward to the further adventures of Detective Superintendent MacNiece! 

Erasing Memory by Scott Thornley Spiderline/House of Anansi Press, 2011 pp. 326 ISBN: 987-1-4870-0329-6