Louie Knight: The Day Aberystwyth Stood Still
Malcolm Pryce is an English author who moved to the Welsh seaside town
of Aberystwyth at the age of nine and now writes detective novels set there.
His books parody vintage pulp, using artwork typically associated with the
hard-boiled detective stories that were popular in the 1930s and depicting a
fictional, alternative Wales that could pass for something from a classic film
noir. In reality Aberystwyth is a quaint little Welsh town but Pryce portrays
it as being filled with crime and mystery, with all manner of sinister figures
lurking in the wings. This is undoubtedly an in-joke that people familiar with
the area will find hilarious but that will probably be lost on most readers.
The Plot
The Day Aberystwyth Stood Still is the sixth book in the Louie Knight
series, Louie Knight being Aberystwyth’s only private detective. It features
Louie attempting to find out the truth behind a local farmer’s encounter with
an alien, solve the mystery of a notorious thief who was hanged for a robbery
only to be seen boarding a bus twenty-five years down the line and figure out
why shadowy government agents have suddenly appeared in Aberystwyth. The plot
is sometimes surreal to the point of silliness but it is nevertheless cleverly
constructed and full of twists and turns.
More than Just a Spoof
Pryce’s strength lies in his ability to switch from humour and
surrealism to content that genuinely manages to pluck at readers’ heartstrings.
Rather than being a one-dimensional parody, his book is full of complex,
well-developed characters that would be believable if they didn’t exist within
such a surreal setting. It is easy to become attached to the supporting cast,
as they each have their own distinct personalities and provide a lot more than
just comic relief. Pryce displays an impressively sharp wit and underpins the
quirky world that he has created with a feeling of melancholy and the message
that human beings are intent on causing pain and grief to one another in spite
of the obvious pointlessness of their actions. The book works on numerous
different levels, providing strange and often dark humour with a hidden depth
to it.
Another impressive feature of Pryce’s writing is his ability to craft
sentences that they are a pleasure to read. Some of his phrasing is bordering
on poetic and he manages to keep his style accessible whilst demonstrating that
he has perfectly mastered the written word. The structure of his book is also
cleverly thought out, with the pace and mood changing at regular intervals in
order to maintain the attention of the reader. This is done seamlessly and
subtly without seeming clumsy or deliberate and creates a sense of nail-biting
suspense.
The Downside
The only thing about The Day Aberystwyth Stood Still that
is slightly disappointing is its failure to build upon some of the characters
introduced earlier on in the series. Louie’s love interest Myfanwy, who was
present in the first few books, does not make an appearance, which leaves the
reader wondering where she has got to, and Llunos, a policeman who Louie has
developed a love/hate relationship with, is also nowhere to be seen. There were
unresolved issues related to these characters that readers were led to believe
would be tied up later in the series. The fact that they are not even mentioned
gives the impression that Pryce has lost interest in them and introduced a new
cast of characters without bothering to finish telling their stories. However
this leaves room for them to be re-introduced in a future Louie Knight book and
still fails to detract from the quality of the story to an extent where it is
no longer fun to read. If there are any book deals that enable you
to purchase the entire series, I would recommend
doing so but if not, the lack of inclusion of these characters might even add
to readers’ enjoyment of The Day Aberystwyth Stood Still, as it
means that it can be read as a standalone title even if you have no knowledge
of the previous books.
Overall Verdict
The Day Aberystwyth Stood Still is both a skilful parody and a
well-constructed detective
story.
It manages to straddle the line between humour and serious content, captivating
readers whilst simultaneously making them laugh. I would recommend this book
for pulp fans who are able to take a humorous look at the genre and enjoy a
story with plenty of hidden twists.
Reviews By Eve
Evelyn Robinson
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