The Plague of Thieves Affair: A Carpenter and Quincannon Mystery
The dynamic writing duo of Marcia Muller and Bill Pronzini add another winner to their lighthearted Carpenter and Quincannon mystery series.
Carpenter and Quincannon, Professional Detective Services, is turning five years old in 1898 San Francisco, and has successfully concluded dozens of investigations into criminal wrongdoing. One outstanding issue since one can hardly call it a case is the intermittent interference of one Sherlock Holmes in their investigations.
Not that this Sherlock Holmes is the real one. Everyone, including Sabina Carpenter and John Quincannon, knows that the real Sherlock Holmes died during his last encounter with Professor Moriarty. Still, the individual claiming the famed detective’s identity dresses, speaks, and acts like his namesake. Quincannon dismisses him as “that conceited crackbrained popinjay.”
But the irritating imposter is nowhere in sight as Sabina takes an assignment as security chief for a display of Reticules Through the Ages at a local art gallery. To John Quincannon this translates to a bunch of handbags even though one of the so-called purses is a jewel-encrusted item that belonged to Marie Antoinette before she was separated from her head via the guillotine.
As John Quincannon feels protective of Sabina, he feels relieved that she has taken such a nonthreatening case so he can continue his investigation into the accidental death of the head brewmaster at the Golden State brewery who apparently drowned in a vat of his brew. Quincannon doesn’t believe there was anything accidental about the death, not when the man’s secret recipe for the brewery’s famous and very profitable steam beer disappears at the same time.
Quincannon suspects that the West Star Brewing Company is behind both the accidental death and the missing recipe. “Its owner, Cyrus Drinkwater (an ironic name for a beer mogul) was a morally bankrupt businessman who often used quasi-illegal if not downright illegal methods to make his fortune.”
Certain that Caleb Lansing, Golden State’s assistant brewmaster, is the culprit Cyrus Drinkwater used to accomplish his goals, Quincannon prepares to confront Lansing, elicit his confession, turn him over to the police, and close out the case. Lansing’s apparent suicide makes such an outcome impossible.
But Quincannon is certain the man is a victim of homicide, not suicide, even though the suspicious death occurs with no witnesses inside a locked room in the brewery’s basement. “He was tolerably certain that a hand other than Caleb Lansing’s had taken the man’s life, for four good reasons, but he needed more time to determine the who, how, and why of the deed.”
Meanwhile, Sabina takes up her post guarding the famous handbags, certain that no one could steal the valuable Marie Antoinette reticule, which was displayed in plain sight. The sudden appearance of the faux Sherlock Holmes in disguise surprises her, but not his warning that a thief is planning to the headless queen’s handbag. The false Sherlock Holmes often sees criminal intent without good reason for his convictions.
Sabina sees no opportunity for a thief to steal any reticule, much less Marie Antoinette’s, but she is glad to see Holmes for an unrelated matter. A certain Roland W. Fairchild from Chicago has hired her to find his cousin Charles W. Fairchild III, otherwise known as Sherlock Holmes. It is a question of a very sizable inheritance owed Fairchild III. If he does not admit his identity and claim the inheritance, then it will revert to Roland Fairchild and his very unpleasant wife, Octavia.
As Robbie Burns says about the best laid plans, the Reticule Case and the brewery case, not to mention the Identity of Sherlock Holmes case, go awry. Marie Antoinette’s reticule is stolen from under Sabina’s nose; Quincannon’s suspect, Elias Colby escapes his clutches; and the false Sherlock clings to his false identity, although he does agree to meet Roland W. Fairchild.
When Roland Fairchild is murdered and Octavia Fairchild claims that Sherlock bludgeoned her husband to death, Sabina finds herself trying to prove “the popinjay” innocent.
Authors Muller and Pronzini handle the various complications in the plot with a deft hand. Their familiarity with Victorian San Francisco adds a touch of realism to this very enjoyable caper that lifts it above the verbal slapstick certain mysteries in this genre.
Muller and Pronzini also handle the growing romantic attachment between Carpenter and Quincannon with a delicate touch, although fans of romantic thrillers might wish for the attachment to boil over in a love affair. This veteran writing duo know for the sake of drama and suspense that it’s better to let a romance simmer than boil.