Seventy-Seven Clocks - Christopher Fowler

Seventy-Seven Clocks continues the Bryant and May books, a series of mystery novels that are centered around odd couple John May and Arthur Bryant, detectives working in London's Peculiar Crimes Unit. Responsible for solving crimes that don't fit in the range of the normal police, the PCU is faced this time with rat poison, an exploding suspect, a secret society, and (oddly) Gilbert and Sullivan operas. People are dying right and left, and Bryant and May have no suspect.

Seventy-Seven Clocks is the third book in the series, the first two being The Water Room and Full Dark House. That said, I have read neither of those two - in fact, the only other Bryant and May mystery I've read is Ten Second Staircase, the fourth book. This has so far presented me with no difficulty in understanding or enjoying the book, and I would encourage readers to go through the books in whatever order they please.

While the Bryant and May books are mystery/thriller novels, they are also very humorous. John May and Arthur Bryant have very different personalities and eccentricities, and yet manage to work together in a manner that is both effective and fun to read. The plot of Seventy-Seven Clocks is unexpected and original, at least in my experience, and kept me guessing all the way through. Sergeant Janet Longbright, who also works in the PCU, is one of my favorite characters in both of the books, though I'm not sure why, but all of the characters are well-written. If in search of a good mystery novel that's not terribly dark, I would definitely recommend that you read Seventy-Seven Clocks.

Ten Second Staircase - Christopher Fowler

You know, if someone asked me, "Hey, would you like to read a book about two cranky old men who run a crime unit in London?" I would probably answer, "Uh, not really...but I'll try it?" Fortunately, I didn't read the inside flap of this book before I checked it out from the library. Aside from being a mystery novel set in London, the bare details of the book didn't appeal to me that much. Again, glad I didn't read the flap--I will definitely be going back for more.

So, the first thing you need to know about this book is that the two main characters run the Peculiar Crimes Unit. Yes, really. I love it. And I can't speak for the other cases they've solved, but this book was indeed peculiar. The crime begins when a highwayman on a horse wearing a tricorn hat (the man, not the horse (unfortunately); sorry for the poor sentence structure) dumps a woman into her own art exhibit featuring fetuses in a large aquarium tank. She then drowns in her own art...literally. Peculiar, no? The highwayman reappears, each time attacking a different fairly-well-known celebrity. Of course, none of them seem to be connected, and the job falls to the PCU, run by two cranky (and hilarious) old men named Bryant and May.

Look, people, the book is hilarious. Also somewhat strange, but in a completely good way. So go read it, and I'll go to bed. Good night!

P.S. Also, thankyouthankyouthankyou to my first commenter, Jessica, and to my two new followers, the aforementioned Jessica and chrisw170200. My sad little ego is being stroked right now.