This is the second novel by Van Alder. The first, St. Agatha’s Breast, was a wonderful romp through Roman Catholic Church history, the European art world, and varied kink of several funny and weird sorts. I reviewed that debut novel with pleasure and no little praise. Although not without flaws, Van Alder’s initial effort was indeed a “gleeful jaunt through perverse sado-masochism”, a “greed crazed but amusing” tale…well worth the reading. I concluded that the next book, The Evil That Boys Do, was something to look forward to.
Alas this effort is disappointing. This second novel pales in comparison to the first. It is almost as if the author’s heart were not in the writing, a sort of homework assignment which was completed not from enthusiasm but from necessity.
The plot is insubstantial. It deals with Father Brocard Curtis and Professor Zinka Pavlic, dual protagonists from the earlier book now on a quest to find and save an old Caravaggio painting which had been stolen in years past. The setting, initially in a Pennsylvania privately-operated prison (presumably leased to the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania), held promise of a fun story which never materialized. There is little depth to the plot and sad follow-up to the multi-layered debut novel. Some of the secondary characters seemed to be interesting: Tamara Boggs the book-wise but real-world naïve warden I found charming and even sympathetic. The ever horny Cavallo, the Plumber, was interesting in his ability to thwart the regulations of a supposedly well-run correctional facility.
These observations seem to lead to trashing this literary effort as a throwaway. Not entirely so. Had there been no previous novel The Evil That Boys Do would have been an adequate, if not stellar, first attempt at mystery writing. There is some stuff that is good, and a lot that is better than OK. I like the writing style and the very adept use of the language. I think the underlying sense of humor, perverse though it is, is great. The format, like St. Agatha’s Breast, is pleasant…the very short chapters which were occasionally jarring in the debut novel seems less so here. Perhaps the less complicated plot permitted the short jabbing literary style to work more smoothly.
Both Father Brocard and Zinka are quirky, interesting characters whom I’d like to see in another novel perhaps with some of the other personalities resurrected from St. Agatha’s Breast.
The Evil That Boys Do is probably not the best choice of reading material for the beach since there is much else available for the gay community. Yet I haven’t given up on Van Alder. I would certainly read a third novel if one were in the works. For now pick up St. Agatha’s Breast, skip this effort, and hold some hope for the author’s third try!