Epeolatry Book Review: The Vinyl Detective by Andrew Cartmel
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Title: The Vinyl Detective
Author: Andrew Cartmel
Genre: Mystery, Thriller, Suspense
Publisher: Titan Books
Publication date: 15th April, 2025
Synopsis: The Vinyl Detective plunges into the world of Italian movie soundtrack music in his eighth adventure that is sure to delight those who love whimsical British cosy crime. Expect laughs, LPs, cats and the return of fan favourites, Nevada, Tinkler, Stinky Stanmer and more.
Some of the greatest (and grooviest) music ever committed to vinyl has come out of Italy in the form of soundtracks—especially for that variety of lurid thriller known as a giallo. The maestros who composed these masterpieces include Ennio Morricone, Piero Piccioni, Armand Trovajoli… And Loretto Loconsole.
No one disputes that Loconsole was a genius, but was he also a murderer?
When his mistress was brutally killed in 1969, on location in Cool Britannia for a giallo called Murder in London, there wasn’t enough evidence to prosecute him. But Loconsole died in the shadow of disgrace. Now, his granddaughter Chloë has come back to England to hire the Vinyl Detective. She wants him to find an immaculate vinyl copy of Murder in London…
And to clear her grandfather’s name.
Can the Vinyl Detective and the gang—Nevada, Tinkler and Agatha—find out the truth of what happened in Swinging London more than half a century ago? And can they stay alive when there’s someone out there who’d prefer the secrets of the past to remain buried—and is more than willing to kill to keep it that way?
I should open this review by saying it was practically guaranteed that I would love this book, with its focus on movie soundtracks from Italian thrillers, or “giallos”, which I’ve never even heard of until now. I’ve loved movie soundtracks, film scores, and classical music since I was a child, so a suspenseful, mystery-steeped quest for a vinyl record of an Italian movie soundtrack has to be the perfect groove of a book. I adored my escape into this story; a modern-day-bohemian take of a world where it’s possible to be an actual “vinyl detective”. And it doesn’t get any more bohemian than the descriptions of a 60s/70s luxe houseboat used as a setting for the film showcased in the novel.
And let’s not forget the cameo appearance of cats, of course. Because no self-respecting mystery would be caught dead without a cat or two. Am I right, or am I right? Underscore was definitely a fun vicarious (if nail-biting suspenseful at times) romp through the history of the tumultuous 60s/70s and through modern-day London markets. The only major disappointment with this charming mystery and its quirky characters is that this is book eight in the Vinyl Detective series and I am only just now discovering them. (Give me a minute while I lament the passing of my “cutting-edge” alterna-kid self who knew all the obscure bands from the 80s and 90s goth/punk/industrial scene, and with a vinyl collection to match that knowledge.)
Okay, I’m back from being maudlin! The Vinyl Detective series had its first release in 2016, and I am keen on catching up on Andrew Cartmel’s other great mystery-themed playlists in this series. See you on the flip side for the next review!
/5
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“Cat Whisperer” Kirsten Lee Barger (they/them) has written articles on everything from cats to a piece about the “Di Wae Powa: They Came Back” homecoming event (Special thanks to Executive Director Karl Duncan and the Poeh Cultural Center: https://poehcenter.org/diwaepowa/.). In addition to befriending numerous feral cats (as well as skunks, chipmunks, and squirrels), they are currently getting a master’s in professional science (wildlife conservation & advocacy/environmental branding & marketing) from Unity Environmental University. Visit them on LinkedIn, here: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kirsten-lee-barger-4a984a49/.
Homepage: https://kirstenleebarger.com/
