Book Review: The Connubial Corpse

The Connubial Corpse, Thomas J. Thorson. Self-published, February 21, 2021, E-Book and Paperback, 238 pages.

Reviewed by Marssie Mencotti.

The Connubial Corpse is the second mystery novel in Thomas J. Thorson’s Malcom Winters series. The story begins when a very enterprising student, Lily Cheng, stops coming to Professor Vinn (V.N.) Achison's college class. Not knowing where her responsibility to the student lies, Vinn turns to her friend Malcom. They connect with a Chicago police officer who shares information about another recent case that could be connected. Vinn and Malcom begin to ask questions and enlist an interesting group of friends to assist them, including a cross-dressing businessman, an elderly faux Cuban cook, an overeager journalism student, a government source hiding behind a Vladimir Putin mask, and a posse of eccentric misfits. Their actions draw the attention of the local criminal Triad, putting a target on our heroes' backs before a final confrontation in a most unexpected place.

One of the most interesting themes in The Connubial Corpse is whether to get involved in something that may not come under your purview. Unlike most standard mysteries, Malcom and Vinn are peripheral to the missing young woman but are concerned because they believe that the student has no family or connections in the U.S. 

There’s a lot to enjoy about this mystery, including how it brought the west Loop of Chicago to life. I found myself getting on and off the L, sitting in the many small nosh-eries and restaurants that dot the neighborhood, and walking through Chinatown with the crime fighters. Many of the food descriptions will make you hungry. The feeling that the two might be out of their depth never leaves the reader, and we are sure they will be busted or worse as the issue becomes larger and larger and involves more and more people to carry out their elaborate plans of foiling the “ghost bride” trade.

I found The Connubial Corpse charming and compelling. To me, it falls in the mystery book space between a cozy and a thriller. It’s cozy because we feel at home with most of the characters and their lifestyles, and it’s a thriller because, like Malcom and Vinn, we are often flying without a net and have no idea what comes next or if the villains can be stopped, but we can’t stop trying to solve the crime.

As much as I enjoyed the book, I found areas to criticize. There were places where I felt the author owed us more information. There’s also a lack of that urgency in the pacing that should build as it comes to a finish. And we get the mystery from Malcom’s perspective, but I wanted to know more about Vinn’s take on it as well because she was more vested in Lily’s fate.

Overall, I enjoyed The Connubial Corpse and the freshness of the amateur sleuths, each with complex skills in their backstories. This is a solid read that’s a perfect pairing with superb hot mugs of tea or glasses of fine wine.