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Yeah, I know. I’m a science fiction freak. But ever since I first heard David making a lot of noise about his murder mystery, I’ve been curious about his work. Let me tell you, this is not like any other book I’ve ever read. Sure, there are familiar elements: murderers, cops, clues and motives. There is a lot of focus on the teamwork between detectives Nat Adams and May Wish, and their interactions as Christian and atheist. Nat’s childhood in Hong Kong plays a big role too, along with the relationships within the Chinese community in his neighbourhood. While Nat and May are caught up in red tape for seeking police support in other states, help comes from an unexpected angle, as does the actual solving of the serial murders. But what endeared it to me was the intensity with which the story is told from inside the head of the main character. The effect is rather like a memoir written years after the event, when the narrator knows a bunch of extra information he didn’t have at the time it happened. This makes for a fascinating, twisting plot that sometimes seems to leap into the head of other characters – something they tell us writers we shouldn’t actually do. Information is supplied that the main character couldn’t possibly have known at that point. Sometimes it was a little disconcerting, but it helped me to imagine Nat as an old man retelling a tale from his exciting life, including things that other people have later told him about the events. Then all the inner dialogues and back stories began to make sense. In any case, it’s a page turner. The plot is full of surprises and hidden tidbits of wisdom. Listen to Nat talking about God: "He is the source of the light. It's evil that has come between us and that source of light that casts its shadow on the world. As long as we see a shadow we know there is a source of light. That's where we should be heading. That's where we should be looking." I found that scene to be one of those literary feats where you read fiction and just know that there’s truth in there. And this is one of the themes that make this a cheerful, positive book, even though it’s about murder. Yes, great evil exists. But there is a greater good, and Nat knows it, even when things get really tough. As a non-American, I found a lot of the abbreviations were highly cryptic. But a picture is painted of New York with sharp edges, bright colours, rich textures, and normal everyday people – so that it feels up close and personal, even though I don’t know the city myself. It’s a colourful mix of cultures and locations, investigation techniques, and interactions between Christianity, ancient Chinese religions, a dangerous cult, atheists, and the undecided. These clashes show the depth of personality on all sides, as many characters respect the views of the others and take the time to listen to the opposite party. Other figures are bent on defeating opposing viewpoints, but of course, every mystery needs bad guys. Sharp bantering mingles with a vaguely “road-movie” feel at times. And it’s almost a certainty that you’ll be surprised when the real truth comes out. These are all aspects that make this book well worth reading, even though the writer has apparently broken all the rules of point-of-view style. I guess some people really can get away with it… Reviewed by Grace |
THE THIRD COVENANT
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