What a great story from the ever-reliable Andrew Garve; Murderer's Fen is the tale of a murder planned by Alan Hunt - smooth talking salesman and all round con man. It's not a whodunit, but a 'how's he going to get away with it', told in Garve's trademark laconic style. I love the easy to read approach and his hallmark light touch.

Unusually for the bulk of crime fiction (even good crime fiction), the plot hinges on the police not being stupid, with them actually doing some detecting and synthesising of clues and other information. So often these days the detective is at the mercy of the events which unfold around them, and the story peters out, rather than being solved by the police. Garve avoids this, and his plotting skills are clearly on display here.

Although this isn't a long novel, Garve displays a great grasp of the psychology of the crime and its impact on those touched by it. Hunt is a true antihero, similar to those created by authors such as Patricia Highsmith and Ruth Rendell, where despite the heinous nature of their crimes and misdeeds, there's a part of you that can sympathise with them, and almost root for them to avoid their inevitable downfall and comeuppance. Garve's ability to create this desire to identify with 'bad' people is a much more interesting way of thinking about good and evil, than that which is displayed by many modern crime fiction authors.

It's a real shame that most of Andrew Garve's novels are now out of print. If you enjoy good crime fiction, make the effort to track down some of his books...they'll certainly repay the effort.

© Koplowitz 2013
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