Review: The Sun Is God by Adrian McKinty

A Mysterious Review of The Sun Is God by Adrian McKinty.

Review summary: The contributing elements to this true story-based murder mystery are intriguing, from well-developed lead characters to a vividly described colonial island setting at the turn of the 20th century, but the storyline itself lacks dimension and isn't all that interesting or compelling. (Click here for text of full review.)

Our rating:

The Sun Is God
Adrian McKinty
Seventh Street Books (September 2014)

Publisher synopsis: Colonial New Guinea — 1906: a small group of mostly German nudists live an extreme back-to-nature existence on the remote island of Kabakon. Eating only coconuts and bananas, they purport to worship the sun. One of their members — Max Lutzow — has recently died, allegedly from malaria. But an autopsy on his body in the nearby capital of Herbertshöhe raises suspicions about foul play.

Retired British military police officer Will Prior is recruited to investigate the circumstances of Lutzow's death. At first, the eccentric group seems friendly and willing to cooperate with the investigation. They all insist that Lutzow died of malaria. Despite lack of evidence for a murder, Prior is convinced that the group is hiding something.

Things come to a head during a late-night feast supposedly given as a send-off for the visitors before they return to Herbertshöhe. Prior fears that the intent of the "celebration" is not to fete the visitors but to make them the latest murder victims.