Book Review: The Troubled Man
The Troubled Man: A Q.C. Davis Mystery. Lisa M. Lilly. Spiny Woman LLC, December 17, 2020, Electronic and Print, 352 pages.
Review by Marssie Mencotti.
The Troubled Man: A Q.C. Davis Mystery by Lisa M. Lilly is a mystery starring Quille C. Davis, a civil attorney who uncovers subtle clues and is savvy enough to put them together.
This is also an unabashed “Chicago” mystery for three important reasons other than the fact that it takes place in Chicago, Illinois:
A Chicago mystery is about connections—get the job done right by contacting a “friend of a friend who knows what they’re doing”;
a Chicago mystery is without a lot of hoopla, like the FBI or Freddy Krueger;
and finally, a Chicago mystery is a “straight shot” to the conclusion. It’s smart, tight, and real, and it gets the job done right.
The Troubled Man is one of the best Chicago mysteries because it features interesting characters, neighbors, neighborhoods, and real people. Friends are more than friends. Family is sometimes a little less than family. Everyone Quille meets seems to be a little guilty of something but open to sharing information, if asked respectfully.
This is the third in Lilly’s Quille C. Davis series. Even though I am new to the series, Quille’s backstory was gently revealed and it can be read as a standalone. With a character backstory of life drama and stage drama, Quille combines what she knows about performance with her law degree to open doors.
The crime is only the beginning of her help for a troubled family. Fans of Law and Order take note—Lisa M. Lilly’s Q.C. Davis series is for you. She knows who she can talk to and what she can say, who can help her on her quest and who offers only incidental information. Or in Law and Order speak, what’s admissible and what is hearsay. She’s relentless and clever and lets nothing stand in her way—legally.
How troubled is Mr. Santiago, the “troubled man” of the title? Well, his wife Ivy is dead and he’s in jail accused of the murder; he and Ivy were in the middle of a divorce; he doesn’t have much money; his daughters Amber and Alexis are divided in their feelings about their parents; and if convicted, he stands to lose it all.
His youngest daughter has a friend who has a friend, and in enters Q.C. Davis, a smart, savvy, hard-working lawyer with empathy for this fragmented family. She’s a civil lawyer with connections everywhere, but she doesn’t come off as hard-boiled or film-noir sneaky; instead, she’s sensible and solves the mystery while she works on several other cases. I found myself admiring her ability to schedule her time and travel, mostly on the Chicago Transit Authority buses and subways. She even allows for stoppages and breakdowns!
Quille peels back this story in delicate and thin layers. For the longest time, no one looks quite innocent or quite guilty. The troubled man has our sympathy. All the way through, we search for a way to help him as we tag along through Chicago’s bistros and outdoor cafes and Quille’s meetings with friends and witnesses. Quille has friends, good friends, who help her all they can. This is another plus for the reader because we aren’t asked to waste our time with fake arguments or obstacles. This is Chicago crime detection, not flashy but unremitting and dedicated to truth. Tiny clues begin to pile up as the author takes us from interview to interview. Who knew that laws we know little about can make a significant difference in assigning guilt or innocence?
Everyone has a motive, but who has the motive and the opportunity? Who will tip their hand, and will Quille figure it out in time? This is an exciting read because it ties things up legally and emotionally. Although I had planned to read The Troubled Man at a leisurely pace, the underlying tension made it hard to put down. Hats off to you, Lisa M. Lilly, for making the processes of civil law not only interesting but compelling.
I read a lot of mysteries and thrillers with mean, beat-up scarred detectives (e.g., Norwegian author Jo Nesbø’s Harry Hole) who are always on the verge of getting fired for breaking the law or prescient, upscale detectives (e.g., Canadian author Louise Penny’s Armand Gamache) who keep their information closer to the vest. Quille C. Davis doesn’t do drugs, drink to excess, torture anyone, or over-romanticize the underlying issues to get information. The suspects talk to her because she’s interested, and what’s more compelling than someone who wants to listen to you.
This is what I think of as a pure mystery. It’s about the way people handle their “baggage.” How the suspects struggle with their upbringing, their hidden aggressions, and their marginally functioning daily adult lives—until something happens that jumbles it all together and it leads toward an unacceptable and unconscionable crime. If you are a fan of a mystery that is devoid of literary clichés and presents a solid puzzle that needs to be solved posthaste, this Q.C. Davis mystery, The Troubled Man, has got to be on your list.