Ron K. (WhidbeyIslander) -
Helpful Score: 3
I enjoyed Lear's first old-fashioned mystery The Back Passage, although the plot left me a bit in the dark. So I looked forward to another breezy read here. But the novelty has worn off, and I found The Secret Tunnel to be a bit of a bore (pun intended.) The action doesn't all take place on the Flying Scotsman, so it's not really a take-off on Murder on the Orient Express (and the two books really shouldn't be mentioned in the same paragraph.) And like the first Mitch story, this one has so much sex between every man in the book that it 1). gets old, and 2). is totally unbelievable even in a light, fun fiction context. I suppose next we'll have Lear spoofing Cat Among the Pigeons where all the school girls are actually boys in drag getting it on in the coat closets. But I'm done.
This is a great book. It's light, and yet, very interesting. The characters are likable, even the villain, the plot is straight-forward and well developed, and the erotica is hot without being smut. I'm now looking for all other Mitch Mitchell books. Can't wait to see what he's up to next!
