Kangaroo Dreaming

An Aussie private eye, Digby Sloan is in London to watch over a treasured ancient Aboriginal artifact on loan to a London museum. Within hours of delivering the art piece to the museum, the piece is stolen, and the museum curator is murdered. If Digby doesn’t mind his Ps and Qs and stays out of the way of the killer, he might not live to talk about it.

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Series: A Digby Sloan Mystery – Book 1
Author: Sally J. Smith and Jean Steffens
Genre: Mystery/Cozy
Publisher: Smith & Steffens

Rating:

Kangaroo Dreaming is a wonderful adventure filled with twists and turns. Ms. Smith and Ms. Steffens have crafted a well written, entertaining, and creative story. Everything from the London setting where Digby gets lost, to the museum where the murder takes place, are exceptionally detailed without bogging down the story. The characters who find themselves in numerous awkward situations are well rounded with a plethora of human flaws and concerns.

Digby is an easygoing type of guy; he enjoys his job, loves his home country, and finds himself following his inner gremlin’s advice more often than not. Which may or may not be a good idea. He can’t mess up this new assignment, or he may find himself out of a job. He is kind, occasionally sarcastic and oftentimes puts more heart into his work than he should, ignoring the rules and flying by the seat of his pants. This leads him into trouble nine times out of ten, but it is also what makes him likable.

All the characters are interesting and complete opposites of each other. Many of them have secrets and a history they would rather not have exposed. Sharkfella is an intriguing character. He is never rude, or in the way, and like many others, he is more than he seems. His very presence inspires trust, and his eyes hold more than a hint of intelligence. He is quiet, thoughtful, and ready to jump in and lend a hand when needed. He is the perfect Ying to Digby’s Yang.

The murder itself is rather gruesome and original. Solving this case will take time, effort, and a lot of ingenuity. The reader can easily follow the clues and arrive at the who, what and why of a typical mystery. However, this is not necessarily a fast read, and the clues can be missed if the reader skims over parts. All in all, readers will enjoy Kangaroo Dreaming and want to read more about Digby and his exploits. This book is highly recommended.