Review “The Play of Light and Shadow” by Barry Ergang

THE PLAY OF LIGHT AND SHADOW

By Barry Ergang

This delightful locked room mystery novelette includes a bonus at the end.

The story begins with two old friends in a bar discussing a possible job: Darnell, a private detective who is an ex-cop and a lover of classic literature; and the narrator, a university professor who is bartending on his sabbatical. Both are interesting characters.

The bartending professor offers Darnell a job guarding a valuable piece of unusual art for a university colleague, Dr. Gaines, Chairman of the Art History Department. The piece of art was created by a painter named Charles Riveau, now deceased. While he was alive, he associated with a shadowy character named Paul Marchand, a man with a criminal past, and a passion for destroying the work of Riveau. Dr. Gaines is afraid Marchand will somehow succeed in getting to his artwork and marring it.

On the occasion of putting the newly acquired painting on display, Darnell agrees to take the job, making sure it stays safe while a cast of assorted characters filter through the gallery. The narrator/bartender/professor relates the goings on of the evening for us, bringing us into a locked door mystery, one of those impossible crimes. Impossible, of course, until it’s explained and made clear.

The bonus at the end is on the order of “The Making of” this work, offering an intimate look into the mind of the creator of this twisted, entertaining tale.

I hope you enjoy it as much as I did. Maybe you can even solve it quicker than I.

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