In The Busy Body, Kemper Donovan’s debut entry in the Ghostwriter Mystery Series, we meet an unnamed narrator who makes her living telling other people’s stories. When she lands the opportunity to ghostwrite former Senator Dorothy Gibson’s memoir, she finds herself embroiled in not one but two murders at a mysterious glass mansion in rural Maine. While the premise is promising and Donovan demonstrates skill in crafting clever dialogue and atmospheric settings, the execution sometimes falls short of its ambitious goals.
The Plot: Politics Meets Murder
The story unfolds in the aftermath of a contentious presidential election where Dorothy Gibson, running as an independent candidate, split the vote and inadvertently helped elect an unpopular president. As the nation processes this upheaval, our narrator arrives at Gibson’s Maine estate to begin work on her memoir. However, their collaboration takes an unexpected turn when their neighbor Vivian Davis is found dead in her bathtub at the Crystal Palace – an architectural marvel next door.
What starts as a seemingly straightforward drowning evolves into a complex mystery involving falsified medical reports, stolen identities, and theatrical deceptions. When a second murder occurs, the stakes escalate, forcing our narrator and Dorothy to navigate a web of suspects, each harboring their own secrets and potential motives.
Character Analysis: Strength in Some, Weakness in Others
Donovan excels at creating memorable secondary characters. Paul Reston, the drug-dealing actor-turned-chef, and Minna Hawley, the scorned first wife, are particularly well-drawn. The author shows skill in revealing their layers gradually, making them feel authentic despite their eccentric qualities.
However, the protagonist herself remains frustratingly opaque. While her wit and observational skills are sharp, her emotional development feels stunted. Her romance with “the Bodyguard” comes across as forced, serving little purpose to the overall narrative. Dorothy Gibson, while intriguing, sometimes reads more like a collection of political talking points than a fully realized character.
Writing Style: Mixed Results
Donovan’s prose is at its best when describing settings. The Crystal Palace, with its imposing glass walls and mysterious corners, becomes a character in itself. The author effectively uses the Maine winter landscape to create a sense of isolation and foreboding.
However, the narrative sometimes gets bogged down by unnecessary digressions and overwrought metaphors. The first-person perspective, while allowing for clever asides, occasionally feels self-indulgent. The protagonist’s constant references to classic literature and detective fiction, while meant to showcase her intelligence, can come across as pretentious.
Strengths and Weaknesses
What Works
- Atmospheric setting
- Engaging premise
- Complex mystery plot
- Strong supporting characters
- Effective use of humor
What Doesn’t
- Underdeveloped protagonist
- Forced romantic subplot
- Overreliance on literary references
- Pacing issues in the middle section
- Some plot developments strain credibility
The Series Potential
The Busy Body is the first in the Ghostwriter Mystery Series by Kemper Donovan, with Loose Lips announced as the follow-up. While this debut has its flaws, it establishes an interesting framework for future installments. The concept of a ghostwriter-turned-detective offers unique possibilities for exploring different social circles and professional environments in subsequent books.
Comparison to Similar Works
Fans of political mysteries like David Baldacci’s Camel Club series or Margaret Truman’s Capital Crimes novels may find familiar elements here. However, Donovan’s approach is more focused on character dynamics than political intrigue. The setup also recalls Sophie Hannah’s Spilling CID series, though with less psychological depth.
Technical Elements
Mystery Construction
The central mystery is cleverly constructed, with well-placed clues and red herrings. However, the solution relies too heavily on coincidence and requires substantial exposition to explain. The second murder, while adding tension, feels somewhat contrived.
Pacing
The book starts strong but loses momentum in the middle sections. The final revelation, while surprising, comes through an extended monologue that tells rather than shows the solution.
Dialogue
Dialogue is generally sharp and revealing, though some characters’ speech patterns become repetitive. Dorothy’s signature “MMMM-hm” appears frequently enough to become distracting.
Overall Assessment
The Busy Body is an ambitious debut that showcases both Kemper Donovan’s potential and room for growth. While the mystery itself is intricately plotted, the execution doesn’t always match the concept’s promise. The book offers enough entertainment value to engage readers, even as it struggles with some fundamental storytelling elements.
Recommendation
This book is recommended for readers who:
- Enjoy political mysteries with a personal angle
- Appreciate witty narrative voices
- Don’t mind some credibility stretches in service of plot
- Like mysteries that focus on character relationships over procedure
However, readers seeking:
- Deep political insight
- Realistic police procedure
- Strong romantic elements
- Tight plotting without loose ends
May want to look elsewhere.
Looking Forward
With Loose Lips on the horizon, there’s hope that Donovan will build on the strengths demonstrated in The Busy Body while addressing its weaknesses. The ghostwriter premise offers rich possibilities for future mysteries, provided the series can develop its protagonist more fully and maintain better pacing throughout.
Final Thoughts
Despite its flaws, The Busy Body by Kemper Donovan shows promise as a series starter. Donovan brings fresh elements to the mystery genre, even if they don’t all work perfectly. The book’s strongest moments suggest better things to come, making it worth following this author’s development through future installments.
For a debut novel, it’s an admirable effort that will likely find its audience among readers who prefer their mysteries with a side of social commentary and literary flair. While it may not satisfy hardcore mystery purists, it offers enough entertainment value to warrant a read, particularly for those interested in political themes and complex family dynamics.