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A review by schomj
The Lighthearted Quest: A Julia Probyn Mystery, Book 1 by Ann Bridge
4.0
Like the title implies, this is a fizzy, delightful little missing-person mystery. When her childhood friend Colin cuts off all contact with his family while out of the country, Julia Probyn is drafted to find him. Using her occupation as a journalist as a cover, Julia soon sets sail for Morocco. Upon her arrival, she's surprised and frustrated to find that none of the people who would be expected to know his whereabouts are willing to tell her anything -- his bank and the consulate included. However, she's able to use her charm and tenacity to unearth clues that take her from Casablanca, to Tangier, Fez, and eventually Marrakesh -- where she briefly spots him before an explosion almost puts a permanent end to her search.
The mystery was engaging, the pacing was good, and the characters were charming -- and not just the human characters; the on-location descriptions were vivid enough that Morocco itself seemed a character in the story. Really, I found this so enjoyable I'm longing to visit Morocco myself.
One caution, however: the way Julia views people of various races and cultures and the benefits of colonialization is in keeping with the thinking of another time period. It's not malicious -- not at all! -- but it is a little disconcerting. It wasn't a constant presence in the story and I found it fairly easy to ignore, but I know different people have different tolerances for such things.
The mystery was engaging, the pacing was good, and the characters were charming -- and not just the human characters; the on-location descriptions were vivid enough that Morocco itself seemed a character in the story. Really, I found this so enjoyable I'm longing to visit Morocco myself.
One caution, however: the way Julia views people of various races and cultures and the benefits of colonialization is in keeping with the thinking of another time period. It's not malicious -- not at all! -- but it is a little disconcerting. It wasn't a constant presence in the story and I found it fairly easy to ignore, but I know different people have different tolerances for such things.