The residents of Fenton, Massachusetts in 1927 are the sort that enjoy tea with their conversation and champagne with their croquet. A proud history devoid of any crime or scandal has provided the town’s high society citizens with the luxury of fixating on such concerns as wine pairings and the proper knot for a necktie. But when the terrible inconvenience of a nearly double murder shakes the town to its foundation, its inhabitants are forced to reexamine their values and confront their fears. It is with such a set up that Patrick Glendon McCullough begins his debut novel, Son of the Ripper!

The story develops quickly, and as assorted aristocratic gentlemen cast suspicion on each other, a ghastly rumor arises that the murderer could be none other than the son of the infamous Jack the Ripper. The cast of characters falls into place nicely, each citizen dealing with the nuisance of having their life interrupted by a serial killer in their own way. The oft-inebriated sheriff Stewart Trundle and the snotty town genealogist Alistair Praft eventually team up to uncover the mystery, struggling to endure each other’s personalities along the way.

McCullough has a flair for playing up the humor throughout the plot-driven narrative. Alistair’s resistance to the romantic advances of Martha Radcliffe is featured in a few memorable scenes, the awkwardness of their interactions providing the substance of a seemingly accidental and understated comedy. The lighter moments are skillfully balanced with thrilling suspense, as the murders continue and the mounting clues seem to implicate any one of the townspeople. Sudden revelations and requisite plot twists propel the novel to its dramatic conclusion.

The culminating scene is one in which the drama and humor, which had been building separately throughout, ultimately combine as fingers point and accusations fly. Son of the Ripper! resists being overly formulaic, but maintains an easy accessibility in its 300-or-so pages. Its wit is dry but not smug; its action entertaining and light but not predictable or devoid of substance. Indeed one would be hard-pressed to find anything alienating in the entire book, the debut work from a promising young author who we will hopefully be hearing more from in the near future.

Incidentally, Barnes & Noble seems to be selling it for quite a bit less than Amazon, so I would suggest that you purchase it there.