Official Blurb
Harrington Strong was a pseudonym used by author Johnston McCulley, creator of the character Zorro and many others. The Brand of Silence – A Detective Story finds Sidney Prale returning to New York after ten years during which he sought his fortune. But he finds New York a very changed place, and even more distressing, he finds that his old friends are now turning their backs on him, his old haunts no longer welcome him, and there seems to be a conspiracy against him.
Why can’t he receive service in hotels, restaurants, and theaters that he once frequented? Who is working against him? And just as importantly, why? And what is the meaning of the notes he receives which remind him of “retribution”?
My Review
I really enjoyed this one. I wasn't sure what to expect from it, wasn't really sure what it was about. Turns out its a mystery, and strangely enough, a mystery that does not start with a murder! Miss Marple wouldn't know what to do!
As the blurb says, our hero returns from the wild to find everyone turned against him, but he has no idea of why, and no one will even tell him. He's effectively sent to Coventry by everyone. then he's accused of Murder, beaten up, abused etc etc etc all with no reason.
In the story he needs to seek the cause for this behaviour and remedy it, but against such odds he will have a struggle.
The isn't you high energy Magnum P.I. type thing ( have I just dated my myself? ) but rather a slow burner but end of the occasional cliff hanger, and I kept rushing to the next chapter to find out what was going to happen.
As I said, I really enjoyed it, the reader was just right for the book.
Reading 2
Production 2
Story 2
Total : 6/9
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