Some mysteries are highly realistic, innovative explorations into the dark side of human nature. Others are fanciful, entertaining, even humorous farces. "Hornet's Nest" by Patricia Cornwell tries to be both, and fails miserably.
The story follows the exploits of three characters who are all involved in the police department of Charlotte, N.C.
The story begins with Andy Brazil, a volunteer police officer who moonlights as the a reporter. Then, there is Police Chief Judy Hammer and Deputy Chief Virginia West, two stern, tough women.
The plot's focus lies behind the investigation of a series of brutal yet strange murders involving visiting businessmen. Hammer must face off against the sexist men who run the city, trying to convince them that their rosy picture of the city is innacurate.
West and Brazil work the streets, through various adventures, trying to solve the murders. This part of the story is entertaining, and has exciting potential as a plot device. However, the story's seams begin to unravel and the end is mediocre.
For instance, the book jacket promises a book "as real as tonight's police blotter." However, one unexpected character is West's cat Niles, who makes use of body language to help her uncover a money laundering racket. A talking cat, when last I checked, was not on "tonight's police blotter."
The relationship between West and Brazil is also somewhat unorginal. She is a "head-turner" who is "married to her job" and he is a lonely, muscular Adonis who runs six miles every morning. As the book progresses, their exploits turn the story into an unholy amalgam of romance novel and buddy picture.
Also upsetting are two ridiculous subplots involving persons infatuated with Brazil. A gay arts writer at Brazil's newspaper constantly tries to seduce him. A woman known only as "the pervert" prank calls him with lacivious suggestions. These have no bearing on anything in the story, except in driving Brazil closer to West, which any keen reader knows is going to happen.
There is an overall undercurrent of homophobia among the characters in the story, especially the men. The Bible Belt setting makes this one of the few realistic aspects of the book.
One part of the story I actually liked dealt with the relationship between Chief Hammer and her husband, and how it ends in tragedy. It was a brilliant diamond in the rough, describing the effects on marriages when one spouse has ambitions and the other does not. The fact that husband and wife roles were reversed only adds to its effectiveness.
However, it led to one more peculiar aspect of the story. It seemed every male character in the story who had a police officer girlfriend or wife had secret fantasies involving handcuffs.
The book was entertaining, mostly, but was in no way what it promised to be. Instead of a portrayal of "ordinary mortals in extraordinary circumstances" as the jacket promised, it was a Charlotte travel guide with a talking cat, three incredibly attractive but lonely main characters, and an expose on the moral dregs of society.
