Underwriting the cost of production of Offenbach's Orpheus at London's Palace Theater is Andreas Renaldas. Andreas, the younger son of a wealthy shipping magnate, was born with vestigial lower limbs, but is the mental match of anyone. He is able to walk, haltingly, with the aid of primitive prostheses. Shortly before the show is scheduled to open, the leading lady is found dead in an elevator with her legs severed at the ankles.

Bryant and May, new recruits in the recently formed Peculiar Crimes Unit, are assigned lead investigators in the case. Bryant, the more creative thinker of the two, believes the death of the actress is symbolic and connected to the theme of the Orpheus legend itself. May, the more methodical investigator, is more concerned with assembling and interpreting the evidence related to the case. Despite the two diverse approaches to the case, it is never solved and remains at the back of the minds of both detectives throughout their careers.

A leap forward in time of sixty years reveals a close relationship has developed between the two men. Though they continue to approach crimes from a different perspective, they complement each other and have developed a nightly ritual in which they walk along the Thames, sharing information and thoughts concerning their work. One evening Bryant mentions that he thinks he has discovered pertinent information relating to their first case. As is their custom, after their walk, Bryant returns to the unit to work late, while May goes home. A bomb explodes in the building housing the Peculiar Crimes Unit, decimating the structure and presumably killing Bryant, the only occupant of the structure at the time.

Though on the verge of retirement, May has a special interest in this event in which his longtime partner has been murdered (He cannot conceive that it was an accident, happening so soon after Bryant had announced he had new evidence in their first case). May vows he will see this case through to its successful conclusion.

Christopher Fowler has offered his readership so much beyond a well crafted British crime story. "Grey clouds fitted tightly over the surrounding terraces as a saucepan lid, and the rain that dampened the churning smoke obscured her view." Further, his likening of a festival along the Thames as something a child might have drawn with brightly colored crayons evokes an immediate image in one's mind.

Arthur Bryant and John May emerge as distinct, intelligent men, though not without the foibles or failings of real individuals. Because Arthur was not afraid to act impulsively, and John knows it, John believes his partner may have disturbed the past enough to cause his own death. He knows his friend's habits so well he can predict his actions in almost every situation. This fact gives the author a legitimate reason for John to do something most readers would consider contrived, or, at best, serendipitous.

The theater plays an important role in this novel. Those readers who are familiar with play productions will be comfortable with the descriptions of backstage working, while the uninitiated will learn how much effort is involved in a night's entertainment. It is easy to understand how a slight misstep can create a disaster. The precision and timing essential to a successful performance have to be admired. Even more amazing is the realization that the play described in this story was produced in 1940 without the benefit of computers or other wonders of modern technology.

Mr. Fowler touches on the history of Britain in 1940 as well as provides an erudite discussion of the legend of Orpheus and its various interpretations by playwrights and musicians. He does not "dummy down" his manuscript, but assumes his readers have a vocabulary beyond that of the average sixth grader. This book will stretch your mind and leave you with a feeling of accomplishment after the final page is turned.

--Andy Plonka