Canadian author Edward O. Phillips' "Sunday" series, featuring 50-something gay lawyer Geoffry Chadwick, begins with this dark (and occasionally comedic) suspense tale: Chadwick, alone on New Year's Eve and somewhat depressed about breaking up with his lover, picks up a young hustler and brings him home. When the man tries to rob him, Chadwick fights back, the hustler winds up dead - and Chadwick finds himself in a rather precarious situation. What he decides to do about it, and how this plays out, make up the majority of the tale; there's a feeling of vague unease shading to impending doom that reminds me of Highsmith, and poor Chadwick's nerves are tested to the limit.

One of the things I like about Phillips' books is his ability to make this quiet, comfort-seeking, somewhat stodgy character so likeable, even when he's making decisions that the reader (and, to some degree, Chadwick himself) know to be risky if not downright wrong. Or maybe I just identify with a 50-something person who lives alone in relative contentment but who wonders - just now and then - what else might be out there... and if it's worth the risk to the status quo of looking for it.

These are good books. Check 'em out. [The series: Sunday's Child, Buried on Sunday, Sunday Best, and Working on Sunday. Phillips has other, non-Chadwick novels too, but I haven't tried any of those yet.]

Controlled release: I'm sending this to BCer N8an. Hope you like it!

GoryDetails became my newest bestest friend by sending me these two Edward O. Phillips books, allowing me to get the full scoop (or at least 3/4 of the scoop) on Geoffrey Chadwick, the best mystery series I've read in quite the while.

I've started this one - which is the first in the series - and I'm astounded at two things: First, that the level of wit and style in the third novel was just as well crafted in this, the first. Second, that I continue to care, laugh, and want to read more about a character who is disposing of a body he accidentally killed... Fantastic so far, and I'll write more when I'm done...

'N8an

I have finished this delightful book.

Edward O. Phillips' sense of humour (or, rather, wit), is just remarkable. The semi-cynical, very stuffy, yet totally accessible Geoffrey Chadwick is a delight to read - even when Geoffrey is spending the entire book trying to dispose of a hacksawed corpse.

GoryDetails is right - it's impossible not to empathize with Geoffrey - and given that I'm just over half Geoffrey's age, that's no mean feat. Geoffrey's observations on love are particularly brilliant ("Being in love, really in love, is a kind of sickness; and anyone with a shred of self-respect conceals the symptoms.")

Mostly, this is not really a mystery, though a "thriller" in the sense that you really do want Geoffrey to get away with discarding the various bits of his attacker's body. It is the character of Geoffrey himself that is what makes this book worth reading.

I can't wait to begin the second novel, and having already read the third, I will then start my search for "Working on Sunday."

Thanks again, GoryDetails, for being willing to send me this faboo little Wilde-esque romp! I can't bring myself to release it into the wild, but I think OttawaBill would love it - after which perhaps it could take up residence in the local loaning-library for GLBT folks, if that seems amenable to you...

'Nathan

WOW>>>> a second GoryDetails treasure in one day ! I am heady with delight...or am I just a dizzy queen ?

After all the stuff written in the preceeding journal entries I feel a certain pressure ot enjoy this book, but having known the tatses of those making the entries I assume it pleasure will come naturally and I look forward to reading it !

I also await word on whether the book should go on to the Kelly McGinnis Librray or back into the wild...what say thee GoryDetails ?

Re the fate of the book: I tried PMing N8an about that but it must have been during the outage. You're welcome to release it wherever you like, library, wild or whatnot; I'm just tickled that Phillips' books are getting around and (so far) are being enjoyed!