Kevin Major

In Five for Forteau, Kevin Major sends inquisitive PI/tour guide Sebastian Synard out of St. John’s, across the island and north to Labrador where he’s leading a group of four lighthouse enthusiasts on an excursion to some of the region’s most impressive specimens. Along the way, the group encounters a professional photographer named Amanda Thomsen and her partner Jake Moe, on assignment to Point Amour to capture images of the village’s lighthouse, the tallest in Atlantic Canada and second tallest in the country. But that evening there is a mishap, and somehow Amanda ends up dead at the base of the lighthouse, having fallen 33 meters from the catwalk. What happened? Was this a tragic accident? Murder? Suicide?

Sebastian has little desire to get involved, but in this instance, as a material witness, he has no choice. The RCMP are following several leads, one of which is Marco, a member of Sebastian’s tour group who seemed to take a great interest in the attractive young photographer upon meeting her at the B&B where the group was staying. Also of interest is Jake, who, following the incident, becomes suspiciously elusive. Sebastian, with help from his partner Mae, follows leads of his own and embarks on inquiries into Amanda’s personal and professional life and Jake’s background to see if he can uncover clues that might illuminate the circumstances surrounding the unfortunate woman’s death.

Five for Forteau presents an intriguing mystery and a story steeped in Newfoundland folklore and history (ancient and modern). As always, Sebastian’s narrative voice is spiced with ironic asides and plenty of snarky observations regarding the peculiarities and excesses of human behaviour. Major maintains a light touch throughout the novel. The pacing is swift with literary flourishes kept to a minimum. While the novel’s entertainment value is high, it also succeeds in touching the reader at a deeper level: a young woman has lost her life under mysterious circumstances, and we want to know why.

In this, the spirited fifth installment of his engaging Sebastian Synard mystery series, Kevin Major—author of twenty-three books—once again proves his mettle. Fans of the series will not be disappointed.… (més)

Three for Trinity, the third installment in Kevin Major’s Sebastian Synard Mystery series, finds our intrepid hero operating his boutique Newfoundland tour business in the days of Covid-19. After months of enforced inactivity, the establishment of the Atlantic Bubble means he can offer tours for small local groups, and it turns out there is sufficient interest in his services within the Atlantic region to justify going ahead. He decides to focus the tour on the scenic and historic Bonivista Peninsula and takes the group north, out of St. John’s, to the village of Trinity. Sebastian is serious about his responsibilities as guide. He’s not seeking distractions. But despite some doubts, he finds himself striking up a tentative romance with tour group member Ailsa Bowmore, a recently divorced inspector with the RCMP. As part of the tour of Trinity, the group attend a play at Rising Tide Theatre. But during the performance, one of the actors, a young man named Lyle Mercer, collapses on stage. Ailsa, assuming a first-responder’s role, and Sebastian attend to the stricken actor and see him rushed off to the hospital. But by next morning Mercer is dead. Speculation leans toward a drug overdose, but the toxicology analysis finds traces of poison. This is murder.

From this intriguing setup Major’s novel takes off. Acting on his own, Sebastian, a registered private investigator, goes undercover within Rising Tide to see what he can find out about Lyle and his relationships with the other actors. Ailsa leads the official investigation. Sebastian’s inquiry takes him beyond the theatre, into the community, where he meets local folks with whom Lyle came into contact, and ultimately deep into the past, where secrets and lies abound. Inevitably, he finds himself butting heads with the RCMP, and Ailsa in particular, who seems stubbornly disinclined to pursue the leads that Sebastian’s uncovered, and whose distant manner and overly decorous conduct leave Sebastian wondering if their evening of intimate disclosures actually happened.

Kevin Major keeps the reader guessing in this propulsive narrative that features abundant twists and turns along with plenty of quirky humour and briny Newfoundland atmosphere. Once again Sebastian’s family life comes into play: his delicate balancing act with ex-wife Samantha, the worry and second-guessing that go along with helping to raise their smart, curious teenage son Nick. Three novels in, Sebastian Synard (“rhymes with innard”) remains an attractive protagonist, a shrewdly observant and empathetic pragmatist whose voice is peppered with snarky asides and cheeky observations on family, love, scotch, and the challenge of making ends meet in Newfoundland at any time but especially during a pandemic. Readers on the hunt for an engaging, fast-paced entertainment will not be disappointed.… (més)