M.R. Sellars
Harm None
A Rowan Gant Investigation
Willowtree Press
2000
When a woman is found murdered and surrounded by symbols used by witches (or Wiccans, if you prefer), a St. Louis Homicide Detective (Ben) seeks the assistance of his friend Rowan Gant, a practicing Wiccan, to interpret their meanings. Gant is puzzled because a principle of his alternative religion is to "harm none".
Gant is a work-at-home software consultant, a career which gives him the flexibility to devote a great deal of time to the investigation. Worried that prejudices against witches will hinder the investigation by alienating the others on the case, Ben urges Rowan to keep his methods under his hat when "evidence" is turned up after Gant's revelations during a trancelike episode at the scene of the crime.
It soon becomes apparent that the perpetrator was only practicing on his first victim when another body turns up shortly thereafter surrounded by the same symbols. The investigators race against time as they attempt, using ordinary police procedures as well as extra-sensory detection, to anticipate the killer's next moves.
A glimpse of intolerance in the course of its nasty work is offered when Gant worries that anti-Wiccan feelings in the town, personified by an outspoken member of the detective squad, may result in arrest of a hapless kid with a dusty witchcraft book forgotten on a shelf. Suspicions naturally fall on the local witches, including Gant. His knowledge of the crimes, although developed in some pretty unusual ways, make even the reader question whether he could have committed them.
This is a skillfully done first novel with only a few minor faults. The book starts out with a somewhat pedantic tone but quickly relaxes into the more familiar. The beginning, though, does serve to make the main character seem a little less personable and accessible. I look forward to see how the character is rounded out in future books in the series. The character is not by any means flat, though. He is shown to be a down-to-earth and practical man with good organizational skills and a personality consistent with the Wiccan way he espouses. He gives a great speech to an assembly of detectives which starts out with the query, "Where's your broom?", and threatens to devolve into a frenzy of heckling. He anticipates problems and effectively deals with various people and groups during the investigation.
The other thing I'm thinking of is not really a fault, just a little bit strange. Rowan's detective friend Ben is apparently American Indian, an ethnicity with a heritage rich with mystic symbolism and experience, yet he seems to tiptoe around the phenomenon of witchcraft as much as everybody else, except the the extent that he always supports his friend. This can be thought of as perfectly understandable in terms of a phenomenon which seems particular to the most recent decades, the abandonment of the spirituality of our ancestors in favor of more humanist approaches. Perhaps this will be elaborated upon in future books.
The insights provided by the special abilities Gant has here complement the investigation rather than taking it over (although his input is key to its resolution). A strong theme running through the book is that the clues revealed through the special powers of the witch must be interpreted, just as more concrete clues require. Gant has a series of dreams throughout the book which he struggles to interpret as they seem related to the case.
Despite the fact that he cooperates with the police in the investigation, Gant is clearly at the center of things in this book. The book's cover clearly states that what lies within is "A Rowan Gant Investigation" and it will be interesting to see what sort of problems he may solve in the future.
Sellars does a good job of delivering up and sustaining multitudinous elements of suspense starting with the prologue. The fast pace and attitude of the first person narrator keep the tone from being too dark despite the tragic events described.
If you like this sort of book, as I do, you will also probably enjoy "The Good Die Twice", by Lee Driver, in which a detective investigates a murder discovered by a Native Amerian shape-shifter, and "Pagan Moon", by Bill Davis, in which a detective's probing uncovers a plot to harness dark forces to take over the world.
Never Burn a Witch: A Rowan Gant Investigation
Second in a series which had a great start, Rowan Gant helps investigate a serial killer's hunting of a certain coven's members in a hunt which may end up with him in its sights. This book further develops Gant's character with a somewhat darker tone than the first entry, and reveals more information about some of the dangers of being a practicing Wiccan.
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