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Native Washingtonian Quintin Peterson is a retired D.C. police officer who served the public for three decades. He is an artist and critically acclaimed crime fiction writer who has authored four DC-based crime novels, a book of poetry, and has contributed to six crime fiction/noir anthologies, including DC Noir, edited by George Pelecanos. He also has contributed to the British horror magazine SANITARIUM and to Heater Magazine (formerly known as eNoir). His latest offering is the noir mystery thriller The Voynich Gambit, the sequel to Guarding Shakespeare, a noir story about a plot to heist a priceless artifact from the Folger Shakespeare Memorial Library in Washington, D.C., which is where the author is currently employed.
Reviewed by Michelle Stanley for Readers' Favorite
“Expect the unexpected and trust no-one,” are words Lieutenant Norman Blalock seems to live by in The Voynich Gambit: A Norman Blalock Mystery by Quintin Peterson. Lt. Blalock, a guard at the Folger Shakespeare Library, has been forced by powerful entrepreneur Rupert Whyte to steal an ancient artifact with the help of beautiful Kavitha Netram, who works for Rupert. Events don’t go as expected and Blalock finds himself seriously injured and in a dangerous ring of double crossing art collectors. When the mystifying Voynich Manuscript goes on display, Rupert plans another heist amidst increased security. Kavitha encourages Blalock to become her business partner, but he wonders if she’s trustworthy. He secretly alters the heist plan after discovering the true motives of these treacherous players, but it can cost him his life.
“All the world’s a stage, and all the men and women merely players" – Shakespeare. Reading The Voynich Gambit: A Norman Blalock Mystery convinced me of that. Every character has an ulterior motive, playing a deadly cat and mouse game in trying to outsmart each other. The plot is suspenseful, fast paced and cleverly written by Quintin Peterson. It actually begins with action and has references to U2’s song “With or Without You” and passages from well noted historical books. I like the author’s writing tone that imparts his knowledge of history, which is a major part of the story. Norman Blalock is a strong character who isn’t easy to push around. The Voynich Gambit is worth reading.
