I received a copy of this novel from the publisher via NetGalley.

I gather this is the latest in a series featuring Crang, a Toronto lawyer who behaves more like a maverick PI. I have not read any of the earlier instalments, but this one worked fine as a stand alone story. Crang is employed by an antique bookseller whose safe has been broken into. It is unclear which of the items in the safe was the burglar's real target and Crang, with the help of a friendly former burglar and a former safe breaker, starts investigating.

I enjoyed this story, which was told in a humorous, light tone throughout. The breezy tone did grate occasionally,

SPOILERS

particularly when Biscuit was killed and neither Crang nor Maury seemed to feel any personal responsibility whatsoever. I didn't really grasp why the forged poems had to be returned to the safe secretly anyway - why didn't Crang just give them back to Fletcher and tell him he knew they were fake forgeries? The scene in the garden at the end, where I think we were supposed to be amused by the ploy to save the plants being trampled was tiresome to me. Crang did seem to subscribe to the view that the police only needed to know what he chose to reveal. On the other hand I did very much enjoy the scene where Crang gets Charlie's neighbour some Fruit Loops.

Pleasant enough, with a coherent plot and lots of twists and turns, but I don't think I'd rush to read another. ( )