Review: Aberystwyth Mon Amour

Ah, Malcolm Pryce. Born in Shrewsbury, brought up in Aberystwyth, Wales. Hes been a BMW assembly line worker and the worlds worst aluminium salesman. He spent the six months in a nomadic and Razors Edge-like existence, travelling around the islands of French Polynesia as a deckhand on a yacht. He finally settled in the Bangkok, where he worked writing promotional ads for the tourist industry and advertising copy for Singapore Airlines. Archibald and the Cheese, his first book, was the airlines in flight childrens coloring book. He finished the first draft of Aberystwyth Mon Amour off the coast of Guyana. This could sell the book without revealing any of the plot.

When this book is first picked up by the soon to be lucky reader, it would seem to be hard-boiled as a ten-minute egg. Noir as Trent Reznors outlook on life. A formula P.I. novel. It has a fantastic pulp fiction crime cover with faux wear-wrinkles and a sexy babe. But, when the reading begins, the real story is revealed. This book is weird, intelligent and takes more than a gentle jab at the Chandler-esque sub-genre.

Louie Knight is the head of Knight Errant Investigations. As the only Knight, this is not much of an achievement.. Heading into his office above his landlady informs him that there is a customer waiting for him. And not just any customer. The city famous dancer, Myfanwy Montez, has a case for him. Myfanwy's cousin, Evans the Boot, is missing and she wants Louie to find him. Louie soon discovers that some of the schoolboy's peers have vanished, then died mysteriously. Louie is stuck with a sidekick, teenage Calamity Jane, who knows a lot more about what is really going on than Louie. And what is really going on is like something from a Roald Dahl novel. Even fortified by Sospan, the philosophizing ice cream sellers multi-vitamin special, Louie is in for trouble. The Grand Wizard of the Druids is on his tail, hes made a nasty dwarf totally livid and just who is Gwenno Guevara? And what is it that everybody wants and thinks he has? Will he get in touch with his inner hero? Will he get the girl? Will he get the other girl?

I laughed all the way through the book. It is a treat for the brain. It is Willie Wonka clever. It has a rhythm Gloria Estefan would envy. And dont think for a second that youve got it solved. Pryce pulled off something not many would even attempt. Mystery, fantasy and satire have met, fallen in love, and had a book.

Reprinted with permission. Do Not repost without permission from the author, Jennifer Jordan

Book Review: Aberystwyth Mon Amour