Murder Mystery: "The Busy Body" by Kemper Donovan

In Kemper Donovan's "The Busy Body" (September 2024), the traditional murder mystery genre receives a thoroughly modern makeover through its razor-sharp wit and unconventional protagonists.

The narrative centres on an unnamed ghostwriter who accepts an assignment to assist former Maine Senator Dorothy Gibson with her memoirs following an electoral defeat. Their retreat to Gibson's residence in Sacobago, Maine sets the stage for an unexpected partnership in amateur sleuthing.

The catalyst for their investigation arrives during a seemingly mundane trip to Betty's Liquor Mart—an excursion that proves essential for the challenging task of political memoir-writing. There, they encounter an enthusiastic fan of the former senator. When this same fan is found dead in her bathtub mere days later, the official ruling of suicide fails to convince our unlikely duo, who transform into a contemporary reimagining of Holmes and Watson.

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What distinguishes "The Busy Body" is its innovative pairing of characters rarely cast as investigators: a politician with her share of scandals and an ambitious ghostwriter. These archetypes, typically relegated to the suspect pool, instead lead the investigation, subverting genre conventions with refreshing results. The mystery culminates in a classic whodunit setting—a luxury conference center and hotel—complete with wealthy suspects, an ineffective detective, and a charismatic bodyguard who repeatedly catches the narrator's wandering eye.

Donovan brings considerable expertise to this venture, having extensively analyzed the mystery genre through his podcast "All About Agatha," where he methodically ranked Christie's entire canon of 66 novels. This deep understanding of mystery conventions allows him to simultaneously honor and subvert the genre's traditions, creating what might best be described as Agatha Christie filtered through a lens of contemporary pop culture commentary.

While the premise might not naturally lend itself to a continuing series, the chemistry between these improbable investigators leaves readers hoping for future collaborations. This novel stands in stark contrast to the "cozy mystery" genre, where amateur sleuths regularly stumble upon bodies in quaint villages. Instead, "The Busy Body" offers a stimulating, politically charged narrative that demands active engagement rather than passive consumption—making it less suitable for a quiet fireside reading and more appropriate for an energizing commute, befitting its dynamic title.

In essence, Donovan has crafted an antidote to the traditional murder mystery formula, providing a welcome departure for readers seeking to break free from predictable narratives in the genre.

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