The Black Tortoise. (A Peter Strand Mystery). (Rapid Reads). Ronald Tierney. Victoria, BC: Raven Books/Orca, March, 2017. 131 pp., pbk., pdf & epub., $9.95 (pbk.). ISBN 978-1-4598-1240-6 (pbk.), ISBN 978-1-4598-1241-3 (pdf), ISBN 978-1-4598-1242-0 (epub). Grades 11 and up / Ages 16 and up. Review by Tara Stieglitz. *** /4 Reviewed from Advance Reading Copy.

excerpt:

I walked to the end of the pier and leaned carefully over the railing, the top of which was now missing. I thought I might see the sea turtle again.

Something was there, all right. And at first I thought it was my little shelled creature�turtle or tortoise�with a shiny black shell, but it was a plastic rain slicker. What is covered could have been almost anything, I suppose. But I was pretty sure it was a body. My belief was confirmed when the choppy water flipped up the slicker and I made out a face bobbing lifelessly. It was [as] if the pale corpse were shedding a second skin or emerging from its shell.

The Black Tortoise is the second in a series of short mystery novels about Peter Strand, a half-Chinese, half-Cherokee forensic accountant and private investigator in San Francisco. Peter is hired to look into the Fog City Arts Center by a member of the center�s board who is concerned about the chaotic state of the center since the hiring of a new executive director. Peter begins to investigate the center�s accounts, meeting a string of unusual characters, many of whom appear to have secrets. When one of the center�s staff turns up dead, Peter finds himself at the centre of a criminal investigation that may or may not have anything to do with the center�s finances.

      The Black Tortoise is a quick and entertaining read. The short length of the book means the reader only gets snippets of a sense of who Peter Strand is and many of the other characters lack detail. Since this book is only the second of a planned series, it is likely that Peter�s character will be fleshed out over time. While many of the supporting characters are flat, the descriptions of San Francisco are detailed and evocative, making the city a tangible presence in the story. The Black Tortoise is an action-packed and simple read making it an excellent choice for older teens who read below grade level or anyone else who wants a short and engaging mystery.

Recommended.

Tara Stieglitz is a librarian at MacEwan University in Edmonton, AB.

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