Ghosts In The Snow by Tamara Siler Jones
01/03/2005 . Source: Jennifer Howell 

pub: Bantam-Spectra. 488 page paperback. Price: $6.99 (US), $10.99 (CAN). ISBN: 0-553-58709-9.

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check out website: www.bantamdell.com and www.tamarasilerjones.com


With 'CSI: Crime Scene Investigation' having just spawned a second spin-off and with the original still remaining one of the top rated network programmes in America, taking the opportunity to cash in on it might seem a tad obvious to some people. If you happen to write fantasy as well, then apparently there's only one way to go...



Tamara Siler Jones seems to take great delight in terming her debut novel as 'CSI with swords' - the marketing seems to have the emphasis on 'CSI' but they'd do just as well going with the swords. Especially seeing as how they're magic swords in the bargain. The restrictions of how far you can go with using forensic science to solve a crime in a society with a distinct lack of advanced science, you see, does negate the CSI tag a little. Structurally, it's a serial killer whodunit (and indeed, howdunit) with some nice embellishments from being set in fantasyland. Not quite as groundbreaking a hybrid genre achievement as it's being sold as, but certainly a nice twist on the usual. Added to some beautifully ambiguous cover art (a bit Holly Lisle, a bit historical romance/thriller and a bit something else) and it looks set to cover readers of a fair few genres.

The plot hinges on Dubric, the Castellan of Faldorrah and generally in charge of hunting down anyone causing trouble in the King's castle. The fact that he was cursed to be haunted by the ghosts of murder victims who fall within his charge is neither here nor there in everyday life, but the moment a serial killer starts striking at the lowliest maids of the castle, it becomes something more of an issue...

There's a lovely sense of impending doom built up by the ghosts popping up one by one. Dubric is the only one who can see them and he can't tell anyone he can see them. Worse, not only are the ghosts fairly miffed at being hacked to pieces, they then start taking it out on poor Dubric. As they won't go away until he catches the killer, he already has quite an incentive. Having to spend each waking moment watching a gaggle of recently deceased maids re-enact their deaths before they start chucking each others' severed limbs around, really is more than enough. There's a nice amount of black comedy to be had but you get the feeling that it's the gore that's being relished, given the pretty clinical descriptions of each and every murder and mutilation.

The structure borrows from the classic modern forensic pathology genre, with the perspective moving between the investigators, a potential victim and some enigmatic wanderings from the killer. The setting is pure generic fantasyland, which takes a moment to get straight in your head. There's a disconcerting minute where the grizzled old physician starts measuring how big the knife was from the cuts to internal organs and it's like Patricia Cornwall is suddenly channelling Tolkien. Disturbing doesn't quite cover it. This does mean that there are at least two lots of genre conventions to play around with though and very rarely a dull moment.

Between Dubric (who's getting on a bit) and his trusty CSI team of pages running around the castle, it's nice to see that there's an emotional heart to the story as well. The unusually paced romance between a laundry maid and the King's grandson could have fallen to the usual clichés but thankfully that's not the case. Nella is a likeable, self-deprecating heroine (who, of course, the killer is obsessed with) and Risley is either going to sweep her off her feet or indeed be the chief suspect. He's acting unstable enough that it could go either way, funnily enough...

There's a weird sense at the start of the book that you're starting somewhere in the middle of a series, so well developed are the characters and plotlines. The truth is that this may be a debut novel, but Tamara Siler Jones has had this particular world developed long enough that she admits on her website to having had a good idea and slotting it into the existing timeline. The Nella and Risley storyline especially feels like you've walked in halfway through and missed a prequel somewhere, but it certainly adds a feeling of continuity to the whole.

In the end, it's a novel concept that's also well executed. The murder mystery is up there with anything in that particular genre and the fantasy elements - even if they do make the denouement a little convenient - add a nice touch. It's a chance to see a different side of the genre, where the magic doesn't take centre stage, peopled by a believable bunch of characters who always have you rooting for them. It's quite capably gory, racks up the tension whenever possible and will quite easily have you sitting up 'til unreasonably early hours of the morning to find out whodunit and who survives. The perfect antidote to a palate jaded of any number of genres, you could say.

Jennifer Howell