Evan Can Wait

February 1, 2001
When a documentary film crew arrives in the Welsh village of Llanfair to try to raise a WWII German bomber sunk in a lake, Constable Evan Evans finds he has more to do than simply keep the curious at bay in this light police procedural. The film's arrogant and conceited director, Grantley Smith, manages to offend just about everyone, including Evan. To complicate matters, Grantley's partner on the project, Edward Ferrers, turns out to be the ex-husband of Evan's sweetheart, Bronwen Price. When Grantley falls out of the local scenic railway train unharmed, it appears to be an accident. But it's clearly murder when Evan discovers his body in a pool of water in an abandoned mine, weighed down with slate. More suspenseful (and intriguing) are the recorded memoirs, interspersed with the main action, of old Trefor Thomas, who recounts how he and his greedy girlfriend schemed to steal a painting from the National Gallery collection stored in a Welsh mine during WWII. The two seemingly unrelated plot lines knit together nicely in the end. As in the four previous books in the series (Evans Above, etc.), Bowen's great strength is her endearing Welsh characters, from the modest Evan to such amusing locals as the saucy barmaid and the rival chapel preachers. This mystery is sure to appeal to those who prefer old-fashioned, heartwarming stories to tawdry tales full of graphic sex and violence.

January 1, 2001
When filmmakers choose the Welsh village of Llanfair as the site for a World War II documentary, Constable Evan Evans (Evan and Elle) plays host. His duties become much more complex after the producer is found murdered in a mineshaft. Evans discovers many enemies and evidence of an old plot to hide stolen art. An exciting addition to the series.

Copyright 2001 Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

May 1, 2001
Adult/High School-When a film crew arrives in the small Welsh village of Llanfair, Constable Evan Evans's assignment is to protect the crew from nosy locals. When the producer is found dead in the recesses of a slate mine, however, the complex relationships of the crew members require closer scrutiny. As part of the story focuses on the murder, a second story emerges. During World War II, one of the local miners was involved in art fraud and murder when treasures from the National Gallery were stored in one of the mines. Constable Evans delves methodically into the history of the mines as well as the personal histories of the film crew and he finds increasingly more evidence that joins the two stories, resulting in a surprise ending. Constable Evans is the best-developed character; the others, including the murderer, play their parts but don't add any depth. The author creates a vivid background for the novel by weaving in descriptive details about the area, the deadly mines, and the quickly changing weather. Adding bits and pieces of information about the local culture, she includes gossipy conversations and some colorful characters from surrounding small villages to capture a delightful sense of a people and their lives. Her descriptions of the slate mines are darkly foreboding, emphasizing grimly shadowed shafts and providing plenty of spooky atmosphere for murder.-Pam Johnson, Fairfax County Public Library, VA

Copyright 2001 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

December 1, 2000
Bowen's titles--this one follows " Evanly "Choirs, " Evans Above," " Evan Help Us," and " Evan and "Elle--offer the first hint of the impish sense of humor that characterizes this ongoing series starring Welsh police constable Evan Evans. This time Evans is assigned to keep well-wishers and gawkers away from some filmmakers shooting a documentary. The assignment leads to murder, the theft of some valuable paintings, and a decades-old conspiracy, but all this subject matter is somewhat overshadowed by the author's delightful storytelling style. Her dialogue is smart and immensely lifelike, and her portrait of a small Welsh town and its quirky inhabitants is utterly charming. Lots of people write small-town mysteries, perhaps because they seem so easy to do (all it takes is some eccentric people and a murder, right?), but few of them get it as right as Bowen does. Readers expecting hard-boiled intensity should look elsewhere, but fans of light, entertaining mysteries with an emphasis on appealing characters and intriguing plots will be thrilled.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2000, American Library Association.)