The Flimflam Affair: A Carpenter and Quincannon Mystery

MWA Grand Master Pronzini smoothly juggles several story lines in the rollicking seventh mystery featuring late-19th-century San Francisco detectives Sabina Carpenter and John Quincannon (after 2018’s The Bags of Tricks Affair), each of whom is tasked with solving an impossible crime. John heads out to a mining town to discover how a burglarproof safe containing $10,000 in gold dust and bullion was breached, while Sabine must unmask a charlatan who preys on the desperate relatives of those who have “passed over.” These cases are sophisticated brain-teasers: all the clues are clearly presented for any reader who wishes to try to beat the detectives to the solutions. Both detectives then tackle a counterfeiting scheme involving an old nemesis of John’s, one he thought long dead. Add to that the delicately balanced romance/non-romance of the main characters (spiced up with the age-old battle of the sexes), and there’s more than enough to satisfy readers looking for a fast, fun escape from their daily cares. Agent: Dominick Abel, Dominick Abel Literary. (Jan.)