4 out of 4 stars
Share This Review
Arsenic and Old Men is a book written by Glenn Ickler. It is part of the Mitch and Al Mystery stories also by this author. This book consits of 41 chapters, spanning around 270 pages. It was published during the latter half of 2018. The story is told from the viewpoint of Mitch, a reporter. Even though this book is a mystery, it had plenty of comedic moments, making it a very enjoyable read.
Mitch, Dave, Al, and their wives taking a short trip to Martha’s Vineyard, following the death of Dave’s Uncle Walter Jerome. Since Dave was the last living relative, Walter’s cottage went to him, and that meant there was business to attend to. Shortly upon arrival, the crew find out that Uncle Walter did not die of a heart attack, which was previously stated as the cause of death. Unfortunately, the old man had been poisoned with arsenic. Dave and his friends are now right in the middle of a police investigation. The crew are now trying to solve the case. Full of interesting characters, like a squatter named Teddy and set of creepy twins, this book does not disappoint and will keep any reader entertain. Will Dave, Mitch, and Al find out who killed Uncle Walter, or will they have to go home before the case is solved?
What I enjoyed most about this book were the characters. When I first started this book, I didn’t realize that there had been other books with these same characters. Thankfully, that didn’t matter. I wasn’t lost while I was reading. The author did a wonderful job of presenting these characters in a way that wouldn’t confuse new readers. The newer characters in the book were also wonderfully written and enjoyable.
I didn’t like the side story involving Mitch’s wife. I felt like it was just added as fluff. A trick to make the story longer. It did not seem to add anything substantial to the story.
Overall I really enjoyed this book. It was a nice homage to Arsenic and Old Lace, the play written by Joseph Kesselring. I am happy to give it a 4 out of 4 star rating. This book seems to be directed towards an older audiences. That being said, I do think anyone who loves a good mystery would enjoy reading this book. I have recently gotten into the mystery genre, so I look forward to reading more from this author!
******
Arsenic and Old Men
View: on Bookshelves | on Amazon
