Title: Tourquai
Author: Tim Davys
Publisher: Harper
Publication Date: February 15, 2011
Hardcover: 336 pages
ISBN: 978-0061797453
Genre: Fiction, Mystery

From the Publisher:

A horrendous crime sets off a disturbing chain of events that will force the citizens of Mollisan Town to debate profound issues of free will and destiny in this powerful tale from the internationally acclaimed Tim Davys.

In the Tourquai neighborhood of Mollisan Town, Superintendent Larry Bloodhound is the keeper of the peace and ruler of the streets. But there are others more powerful than he—a cadre of wealthy elite, including Oswald Vulture, who live above the law’s reach.

When Vulture is found headless in his ornate office atop Mollisan Town’s most exclusive building, Bloodhound knows he must take special care in the investigation. But with the head missing and no sign of a break-in or murder weapon, this just may be the perfect crime.

The search for answers leads Bloodhound and his team, Anna Lynx and Falcon Ècu—along with his closest friend, private detective Philip Mouse—deep into the exclusive, secretive world of Mollisan Town’s most privileged. Who had the most to gain from Vulture’s demise? His slithery and sexy secretary, Emanuelle Cobra? Or his seductive mistress, Jasmine Squirrel? And what about Igor Panda, a desperate gambler whose debts may have pushed him to do the unthinkable? But before he can find the truth, Bloodhound must face his own weaknesses.

As he did in Amberville and Lanceheim, Tim Davys weaves an intricate plot around larger questions of human nature, exploring issues of fate, loyalty, good, and evil. As Bloodhound uncovers the secrets behind the world of stuffed animals, so, too, does Davys reveal greater truths about the world of humans.

My Review:

In Tourquai, Oswald Vulture is found dead in his office, headless settings off an investigation lead by Mollisan Town Superintendent Larry Bloodhound. What sets this murder apart from most is that Oswald is a stuffed animal, as are all of the characters in this creative novel by Tim Davys, pseudonym author of the Mollisan Town quartet. Although the premise of the story may seem odd, it actually works quite well in this anthropomorphised murder mystery. The storyline is full of as many plot twists as it is quirky, and readers are even fed a few red herrings along the path to the story’s conclusion. Many of the characters had the motive to commit such a heinous crime against the defenseless stuffed vulture, including Oswald’s wife, Irina Flamingo, who was intending to sue him, and his alluring office secretary, Emanuelle Cobra, but Davys keeps the reader guessing throughout in this classic whodunit with a twist and a intriguing if not at time unscrupulous ensemble of characters. Surprisingly, the story reads very much as if the characters were humans, with only the occasional reminder that they are, in fact, stuffed animals. While I have not yet read the previous two books in the Mollisan Town quartet, Amberville and Lanceheim, Tourquai may be as a stand alone, but I think the quartet should be read as such. The final book in the quartet is Yok. Tim Davys is a pseudonym and I find it interesting that the last two books in his/her quartet are most definitely German words. I would recommend Tourquai to readers looking for an unusual and entralling mystery built around a slightly different backdrop than usual.

About the Author:

A dark and stormy night…I was born in a country far, far away. Before the age of 20, I never read a book. Comic books, magazines, and movies taught me how to tell a story. I studied literature, got a job, found a wife, and bought a dog. I studied psychology, got another job, held on to the wife, and wrote a book.

Today I’m much older than I used to be. The dog is much older too. I would never comment on the age of my wife. The idea going forward is to stay alive, write a lot more, and adapt to a life in New York City. But if I’ve learnt on thing in this life (and I know I have), it’s this: It’s never going to turn out the way you intended.

I received a complimentary ARC of Tourquai by Tim Davys from Harper Collins to offer my honest review of the book. Receiving a complimentary copy in no way reflected my review of aforementioned book.