The Killing of a Chestnut Tree

by Oliver K. Langmead

Synopsis:

Be gay, solve crimes! The Killing of a Chestnut Tree introduces Havelock Harper, an all-new queer gentleman detective in the tradition of Sherlock Holmes, with a cozy, fantastical mystery.

Everyone in England knows Havelock Harper, the celebrated consulting detective, from the cases published in the papers. If any of them read his secret files, they would discover a very different man. His most fantastical cases must never reach the public eye, and nor must the love he shares with his stalwart companion, the formidable Major Sebastian Wright.

The Duke of Farleigh has been killed, and Havelock Harper summoned to the secluded Farleigh Forest to solve his murder. When he and Sebastian arrive, they discover a greater mystery. The trees of Farleigh have begun to speak, writing words into their leaves and bark. The victim is one of those trees: an ancient chestnut, cruelly chopped down.

Why has the forest begun to speak? Why would anyone cut down the Duke? And how can Farleigh’s gentle, quiet paradise survive this crime?

I received a copy of this book for free in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.

I was instantly interested in Oliver K. Langmead’s The Killing of a Chestnut Tree from the description — a queer Sherlock Holmes pastiche in a fantasy world — so when I saw it come up for request I clicked instantly, and promptly settled down to read it at the first opportunity. I enjoyed the setting a lot: I think there’s a lot of worldbuilding still to come, because it’s not totally clear how much magic is normal/known in this world, what kinds of magic there are, etc… but since it’s a series, there’s plenty of time for that.

This first installment takes Havelock and Sebastian to Farleigh, a place with mysteries largely hidden from the outside world, in order to investigate the death of the Duke. Things naturally aren’t quite what they seem, starting with the nature of the death, and the two of them settle into Farleigh a little bit as they investigate the crime. We see them in the wake of an earlier case that’s just alluded to, a little unsure of where they stand with each other and missing the intimacy they used to have; it’s an established relationship, but also one which has to re-establish over the course of the story, which is a nice way in on understanding them as a couple.

Their story is wrapped in a frame story: Sebastian is writing out their cases (just as the Sherlock Holmes stories are written by Watson), but this one is being sent only to a young man who happened to consult Havelock for help with a certain mystery. These interludes are in second person, since they constitute Sebastian addressing the man in question, and they have their own small mystery (and part in the story). I wasn’t sure what the link was at first, so it was a nice “ahh” moment when I realised what Sebastian was doing.

The solution felt appropriately Holmesian — drawing together some disparate facts to present the full truth, leaving others stunned, but with enough there for the reader to make guesses of their own, and follow the solution given. I admit I hadn’t quite figured everything out, but I’m not sure I really tried: especially with fantasy mysteries (where I’m not always sure I know enough about the world to have a fair shot at the solution)é, I often sit back and let it wash over me, rather than actively try to puzzle out whodunnit.

Definitely looking forward to more of this series!

Rating: 4/5 (“really liked it”)