The Mystery of the Moving Image - Snow & Winter, Book Three

I've said it before, and I'll say it again - one of this things I absolutely love about series books is that picking up the next book in a series is like visiting old friends and family that I haven't seen in a bit. And picking up the next Snow & Winter mystery is exactly like that. I have been thoroughly enjoying this series, not just for the well-crafted mysteries, but also for the much likable and very relatable characters. They are not perfect, they have their flaws and idiosyncrasies; but at the same time, they are not so damaged that the average reader cannot identify with or have any sympathy for them. So, picking up this third book was like catching up with some old friends and hearing about their latest adventures...

The Mystery of the Moving Image finds Sebastian Snow an Calvin Winters moving in together. This is a big step for both of them, as Sebastian has just left a devastating relationship, and Calvin is still dealing with his own issues of P.T.S.D. But they have taken a leap of faith, and things appear to be going good for them. Sebastian has not had any further craziness, and his penchant for getting thrown into the middle of a dangerous mystery seems to have subsided. Until a rather large crate shows up on his doorstep. No return address. No known sender. And inside is a very rare, very valuable Kinetoscope - an invention credited to Thomas Edison that was the precursor to the modern film. The box allows an individual to view rolling images that create a "film" to watch. There is only one canister of film with the box, and when Sebastian and his assistant, Max, carefully load the film, he discovers to his shock that it is the ultra-rare, never-before-known-to-exist footage of the Leonard/Cushing fight of 1894. More shocking, though, is what has been spliced into the end of the film - a real life murder!

(***NOTE - the fight beteween Leonard and Cushing in 1894 is a historical fact, and Thomas Edison did, indeed, film the fight - and this is not the only true historical fact within the story. W.K.-L. Dickson did, indeed, work with Edison and was involved in the creation of the Kinetoscope and the early films associated therewith.)

 Sebastian, of course, tells Calvin; but there is nothing to fear, since the murder on the film occurred more than 120 years ago. Until someone breaks into the Emporium and steals part of the film. And then there is a second break-in. And a dead body turns up in the dumpster behind the store. And then a series of gunshots destroy the front window and nearly hit Sebastian, Neil, and a customer (who happens to be Calvin's ex from his military days!). And then someone attacks Sebastian outside of his new apartment, threatening to kill him if he doesn't turn over the other films. And then a second body is discovered. What starts out as a simply mystery of who sent the Kinetoscope turns into a deadly game of what is so special about that film and why is the killer desperate to get their hands on it?

First, I have to say something about Sebastian's assistant, Max. I so want to have an assistant like him! He is witty, a bit sarcastic, but loyal to the nth degree! Every time he makes an appearance in these books, he makes me smile.

Second, kudos to author C.S. Poe for a subtle reference to another gay mystery series. On pages 138-39, Poe makes reference to the fact that Sebastian is a huge fan of the Miss Butterwith mystery series of books. I read that, and immediately I thought, "I know that name." I had to do some heavy thinking on the matter, and then it came to me - Miss Butterwith is the fictional mystery series that Christopher Holmes writes in Josh Lanyon's Holmes & Moriarty mystery series! So, that pretty much confirms Snow & Winter are in the same fictional universe with Holmes & Moriarty - so does that mean at some point in the future, the two detecting teams will cross over?!  One can only hope!

Third, and finally, the villainous thief/killer is not so easily identified, which is a nice change. After reading so many mysteries (over so many years! how many? well, that we'll leave for a real mystery...), one gets to the point where it becomes fairly easy to pick out the killer early on, even if you don't necessarily know the motive until later. With Moving Image, Poe manages to lead readers down the wrong path, throwing a nice little twist near the end that surprises not only Sebastian, but the reader as well! Definitely makes it a worthwhile read.

Oh, and before I forget - the end of this mystery provides a true tear-jerking moment! While I readily admit, I'm a big softy when it comes to touching moments in movies, on television, or in books; but this one really hits the heart. Poe definitely has a way with words that truly enraptures the reader and draws one into the lives of these characters so completely, you can't help but feel what they do!

Can't wait for book four!

RATING:  10 elusive maroon trees out of 10 for knowing how to craft a mystery and create characters that make the reader greedily turn page after page, knowing we can never truly get enough of Snow and Winter!