by Rhys Bowen

St. Martin's Minotaur, February, 2001.
Hardcover, 240 pages.
ISBN: 0312265875

Evan Evans, constable of the tiny Welsh town of Llanfair, has his hands full with a most unpleasant assignment. He has been ordered to assist a group of documentary filmmakers who are in Wales to film the raising of a German plane which was shot during World War II, and is currently lying at the bottom of an icy mountain lake. Naturally, all the townspeople want to get involved, and Evan must keep them away from the film location, while enduring the obnoxious company of producer Grantley Smith. When Grantley is found murdered at the bottom of a mine shaft, Evans is faced with a large cast of characters whom all detested Grantley and would have been happy to see him dead. Evan's investigations take an interesting side turn when they turn up the fact that during the Blitz, the same mine was used to store valuable paintings from the National Gallery. And most distracting of all, his lady friend Bronwyn is totally preoccupied with someone from her past who is showing signs of wanting to rekindle his relationship with her.

In this fifth book in the popular Evan Evans series, Rhys Bowen takes us on a fascinating journey into the past. Interspersed with the story of the modern day murder mystery is the journal of Trefor Thomas, who was a young man during World War II when the National Gallery stored its paintings in the local mineshafts. Thomas' narrative is compelling, and is blended perfectly into the modern storyline, until the two storylines meet up at the end of the book, for a dramatic denouement. The dialogue is crisp and funny, the scenery is beautiful, and the characters of Llanfair are immensely entertaining. If you haven't yet made the acquaintance of Constable Evans, by all means do so. You'll be glad you did.

--Claire E. White

Evan Can Wait is available for purchase on Amazon.com

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This review was published in the February, 2001 of The Internet Writing Journal.

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