Title: Unexpected find
Product review: I came across Hall's AMBROSE BIERCE series a few years ago on accident, browsing at a bookstore. It's been one of those fortuitous finds we all experience. This is a short, tightly plotted mystery novel that blends history, intrigue, romance, murder, all in small dollops that don't overwhelm. Using Ambrose Bierce as a character pays off - his cynicism strikes a balance with the narrator's youth and inexperience. Queen of Spades moves quickly and sometimes I wished Hall would slow down and spend a little more time developing relationships, or engaging in the San Francisco setting. My main criticism is the end and is talky explanation of the whodunit. British mysteries are known for their "sit everyone in a room and confront the killer" climaxes, and it seemed anachronistic in this American period piece. But all-in-all, it's a fun quick read and Bierce proves a serviceable Holmes.
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