Deadly Intent, Laraine Stephens

The second in the Reggie da Costa Mystery series from local author Laraine Stephens, DEADLY INTENT is set in Melbourne, in October 1923.

In this outing, heavy rains have battered Melbourne, and local crime reporter Reggie da Costa finds himself at the centre of a story when he discovers that a trunk, hidden away in what became a flooded basement, contains the decomposing remains of a wealthy widower. Cornelius Stout has been missing for two years, and it doesn't take long for da Costa, and his sidekick in this outing - teacher Dotty Wright - to uncover other missing wealthy men.

Whilst DEADLY INTENT is the second in this series, it would work for readers as an introduction to the series, which leans to the investigative / cozier end of the genre.

If you're new to the series, da Costa is an interesting sort of central character. A dandy, preoccupied with the way he looks, the car he drives, the impression he makes and the direction he's heading. He's aspirational, opinionated, determined, and yet there's something alternatively vulnerable and oddly dodgy about him. A devoted son, who makes a stand, moving out of his home with his mother when his philandering father returns much to his disgust. A new home and a new sidekick land in his lap at just the right time. Dotty Wright has asked for his help to explain why her next door neighbour, who committed suicide suddenly, has also left her everything. da Costa's attitude to Dotty Wright is both lovely, and mildly annoying. Really enjoy this aspect of these novels - these characters feel very real, and the reader's reactions are allowed to be ambiguous.

The historical setting of the series is, however, its great strength. The investigative aspects are old fashioned foot-slog and thinking. Finding coincidences and chasing them down, looking for the things that don't fit stories and following them into dark corners.

Along with that there's a depiction of a different society. Reggie's mother, despite her dire circumstances, moves in wealthy and influential circles. It's her connections that get him into places he might not otherwise go, his ability to follow a story keeps him moving forward, and his background means he can move through all sorts of different circumstances, and interact with a lot of different people - although this time, his interactions with local gangsters don't go so well. The little details of the time - Squizzy Taylor references - suburbs and areas that are very different nowadays will be of considerable interest to Melbourne-ites in particular.

There's lots of twists and turns in DEADLY INTENT, and there are a lot of characters and backgrounds built in, so you'll need to pay attention. There are a few points where things get a little bogged down in description and what felt like a few too many byways, but this will be a minor quibble for anyone who likes historical crime fiction with a really strong sense of place and time.

When I reviewed the first book in the series (THE DEATH MASK MURDERS) I commented:

"Overall an interesting idea, and an interesting cast of characters, but you do really have to wonder where the series is going to go with the flagged "star of the show" (a description that you can't help but suspect he'd like a lot) being very much a bit player here."

The first book had da Costa sharing the limelight with a female sidekick who kind of stole the show, and I really did wonder how he would step out of her shadow. The answer is particularly pleasing, another strong female sidekick, able to hold her own against da Costa's showboating, a friendship with touches of well deserved annoyance on Dotty's part - I really liked the way that da Costa might remain the main character, but he's nothing without the women around him.