Some were really heart-wrenching, some were merely curious, and others were somewhat suspect, as one would expect. I enjoyed the supernatural themes of this story, and the varied reasons for the characters to be drawn to try to reach the dead. There is a wide variety of interesting and unusual characters, centered around a well-known spiritualist, and takes place both in his mansion and in locales related to the numerous suspects. This mystery takes place in 1956, and follows in the footsteps of the best of the traditional mystery genre. O'Nelligan's Irish roots and history meet up with Lee's more modern American style and knowledge, and they synergistically bring their gifts to the investigation and story. O'Nelligan, significantly older, becomes his new partner and positive father-figure, and their relationship is central to this tale.
Lee Plunkett is filled with the challenges of a young man who is developing his identity in the shadow of an overly colorful father, who left the detective agency to him.
He is someone I'd want to know, and would want working on any detective challenge I had. O'Nelligan's combination of wisdom, kindness and literary perspective. I love this detective duo, particularly Mr. It’s kind of like that old sweater you keep because, although it may be out of style, it’s familiar and warm, perfect for a nice quiet evening at home, curled up with a glass of wine and vinyl on the stereo. But this is not to say that The Séance Society isn’t a fun read. Even the dialogue tends to reflect a simpler time when words like ‘golly’ and ‘shenanigans’ were bandied about and not in an ironic way. The pace is rather slow - these are the '50s as portrayed by Norman Rockwell with soda fountains and Elvis and without HUAC, the Cold War, or fear of the bomb or the military industrial complex. And, in the tradition of a good cosy, at the denouement the suspects are all gathered in the parlor of the mansion and the clues are laid out one by one until the perpetrator is revealed. The setting is somewhat circumscribed, more village than city and, although Plunkett and especially Mr O’Nelligan are very likable, there is not much depth to most of the characters. However, at least one of the guests at the séance suspects foul play and hires detective Lee Plunkett and his assistant, Mr O’Nelligan to investigate.ĭespite being set in the US, The Séance Society has all the earmarks of a British cosy mystery including an English butler. Perhaps by coincidence (or maybe not), the local coroner is present and pronounces the death an accident. However, on its first run, he is electrocuted. It’s 1956 and millionaire inventor and spiritualist, Trexler Lloyd has invented a machine which will supposedly allow him to communicate with the dead.
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