Book Review: Murder at the B-School

Reviewed By: Luke Croll - RAM

Murder at the B-School     Amazon US HC Amazon Canada HC
Jeffrey Cruikshank
Class/Genre:   Mystery   Amateur Sleuth   Police Procedural
Mysterious Press, October 2004, 323 pages

Professor Wim Vermeer is struggling to get tenure in the competitive world of the Harvard Business School. When Eric McInnes, a gifted and wealthy student, dies in a campus hot tub, Vermeer is asked to investigate on behalf of the University. When the tragic death becomes a murder investigation, Vermeer soon finds himself under suspicion. Seeking out an ally in Boston cop Barbara Brouillard, Vermeer becomes increasingly desperate to find out the truth.

Jeffrey Cruikshank has written extensively in non-fiction before, but this is his first foray into the world of fiction, and overall, it is a pretty good effort. He describes the settings of Boston, Cambridge and the Harvard Campus in detail, and we even get the luxury of brief visits to New York and Puerto Rico. His main character, Vermeer, is interesting and we get the idea that he is nothing more than an ordinary professor, completely caught up in events that spiral out of his control.

Whilst the plot may be slightly weak in places, this does not damage the book as a whole. Cruikshank creates a tense atmosphere in the halls of the Harvard Business School, and accurately describes the "publish or die" attitude, in which attaining tenure is critical. The relationship between Brouillard and Vermeer develops well, although the ending is somewhat unexpected, and one could say, unlikely.

Nevertheless, with enough twists and turns to keep the reader guessing, "Murder At The B-School" should be considered a fine debut novel. I doubt it will be long before Wim Vermeer returns.

Luke Croll - RAM

Reprinted with permission. Do Not repost without permission from the author, Luke Croll - RAM

Luke Croll - Conference interpreter and translator
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