AMBROSE BIERCE

AND THE 

QUEEN OF SPADES

by

Oakley Hall

PENGUIN BOOKS (2000) — First Penguin printing

Condition: this Penguin Mystery paperback is in GOOD condition (or better), with minor shelfwear, especially at edges and corners and spine.  Pages slightly tanned with age.

A portrait of writer Ambrose Bierce and a glimpse of life in 1880s San Francisco mark a mystery in which newspaperman Tom Redmond investigates a series of murders of women, leading him to conspiracies involving the railroads and state politics.

COMMENTARIES ON LINE:

When Ambrose Bierce heard of the first Morton Street Slasher murder, he said, "It appears there is a fellow who dislikes women more than I do."

I've never been much of a fan of using real historical figures in fictional situations, but "Bitter" Bierce's quirky, and acerbic personality makes for such a delightful character, it's easy to forgive Oakley Hall’s decision to feature him in a series of mysteries.

The Ambrose Bierce mysteries, set in Gold Rush San Francisco and featuring one of the most extraordinary protagonists in the character of Ambrose "Bitter" Bierce, are classics. "Queen of Spaces" starts each chapter with a quote from Bierce's "The Devil's Dictionary," a work of humor and biting satire that is the worthy equivalent of anything Mark Twain produced… his passing in 2008 was a great loss to literature….

… a fascinating look at San Francisco before the earthquake, and at the real people who built California, as well as a fast-moving, well-plotted mystery. 

A great book and a fun read about a favorite author.

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