Book review: Sing A Worried Song by William Deverell

I meet Arthur Beauchamp in my aunt's living room. He looked interesting so I picked him up. He was engaging, entertaining and clever. I knew I wanted to further our relationship and looked forward to our next meeting.

I meet Mr. Beauchamp's author, William Deverell, at a Crime Writers of Canada event -- Bloody Words. 

Recently, I meet Mr. Deverell again on Mayne Island. He brought Mr. Beauchamp with him -- all wrapped up in a shiny new book. So, of course, I bought a copy.

I flipped open Sing A Worried Song and Mr. Beauchamp charmed me from page one. Even though, at times, he seemed more superhero than human. 

Before beginning his author career, William Deverell was a lawyer. The first half of Sing A Worried Song focuses on one of his court cases.

Afterword... 

Though I practised mainly as a criminal defence counsel, I was on occasion retained by the Attorney-General of British Columbia to prosecute homicide trails, some of which attracted wide public attention.

The trail featured in the opening section of this novel roughly recreates one of them, an alleged thrill killing in Vancouver of a lonely down-and-outer.  

Mr. Deverell makes excellent use of his font of knowledge regarding the Canadian judicial system. And I welcomed his light touches of humour. 

The second half of the book takes place over twenty years later and is set on a Gulf Island. Island culture is depicted with warmth, humour, and intrigue. Mr. Deverell introduces the reader to mysterious island activities -- such as everyone seeming to know your business before you do.

Interesting to note, one of the points Mr. Deverell made at Bloody words is that author's should write what they know. He certainly does this in Sing A Worried Song. As well as having been a lawyer, Mr. Deverell also resides, half the year, on a remote Gulf Island.

The only difficulty I had with the book was the overabundance of names. Through the course of the book a single character may be referred to by three separate names -- surname, first name and nickname. This forced me to re-read more than one passage several times to find clarity.

Book blurb from dust jacket...

This sixth novel in the acclaimed Arthur Beauchamp series.

For Arthur, the prospect was a challenge, something different:  a sensational murder case, with its dark irony of a happy-faced clown being bumped off by an alleged thrill killer. It was a chance to see things from the other side, to work with the vaunted Homicide section of the Vancouver police. A chance to demonstrate how a prosecution should be run:  transparent and even-handed, without guile or hostility.

buy this book link 

More...

What book does William Deverell recommend?

The Jaguar's Children by John Vaillant

Worried Man Blues sung by Woodie Guthrie


Submit here...

Room (Canadian women's literary journal) asks:  Have you submitted to the Women of Colour issue yet?

Here's the link to their submissions page.

Deadline:  Saturday, August 9th

and/or here...

The Malahat Review's 2015 Creative Nonfiction contest
Deadline Tuesday, August 4th

For details, click here.



Attend this...

The Vancouver Writers Fest offers an evening with Louise Penny (popular Canadian mystery writer)
Monday, August 24
The Vancouver Playhouse
doors open at 6:30 PM


Sharing my author journey...

Another month has come and gone and this is what I did with it...

No excuses--action

I'm one of those unique blends of introvert/extrovert. I'm content with my own company, but I do like people. It takes me a lot of self-talk to get me to a social situation, but once I'm there I usually have a wonderful time and am glad I went. This coming weekend (June 3 to 5) I'm going to a writer's conference. I won't be there alone. Oh, no, gobs and gobs of people will be there. What's helping my extrovert drag my introvert? Well, tons of things actually I'm going with a dear friend and fellow writers' group member. On Friday night I'm looking forward to listening to William Deverell talk books.

I fondly remember meeting this author in print. I was visiting an aunt. She showed me the book she was reading--Kill All the Judges. 

I said, "Oh, that looks interesting." I began to read and, with my aunt's permission, left with the book. Yes, I have a wonderful aunt. 

Also Friday night I will be meeting with a literary agent--for the first time, ever. and..and...and... This weekend I'm not listening to any excuses from my introvert. This weekend I'm allowing my extrovert to act. Are you an introvert or an extrovert? If you are an introvert, how do you convince yourself to be social? If you are an extrovert, how do cope with being alone? 

Bloody Words by Lou Allin

Bloody Words is Canada's oldest and largest mystery conference. This year for the first time it will be held in British Columbia's capital city of Victoria on June 3-5 though the Arthur Ellis Awards for Canada's best crime writing will be presented on the 2nd at the same venue. Guests of honour include BC's own William Deverell, Michael Slade, and international bestseller Tess Gerritsen. 

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The Hotel Grand Pacific, on the scenic Inner Harbour, has been named Canada's finest hotel by Conde Nast. Agents will be on hand for interviews, there will be a short story contest, and applicants may submit thirty pages of their work for critiques. In addition to a reception and award presentation to Deverell, Michael Slade will present his celebrated Shock Theatre, followed by a ghost walk in search of old Victoria's specters such as the elusive Amor de Cosmos. Panel discussions (literary, publishing, and forensic) will cap the programs, and a banquet Saturday night is included in the cost of the registration at $190. 

June is the City of Gardens' most spectacular time of year. With its colonial, low-rise downtown, many fine Victoria reminiscent of many European cities. Visit North America's oldest China Town, have tea on the veranda at the Empress Hotel overlooking the harbor where high tea has been served for over 100 years, see the fabulous First Nations exhibits at the Royal BC Museum, or stroll through the gardens and beaches of Beacon Hill Park, all within easy walking distance of our hotel. Or take a day trip to nearby, world-famous Butchart Gardens, Glendale Gardens, or Abkhazi Garden. Downtown is a shopping mecca, but Johnson St. is where you'll find Victoria's homegrown boutique industry and of course, there are restaurants too numerous to mention serving local fare from our coastal waters. Saving the best for last, whales abound in the waters around the capital and you have a good chance of seeing greys or even orcas on the trips that leave many times daily from the inner harbour. Only in Victoria do new whale calves make the front page.

Come and see for yourself.