Fifth in the Constable Evans mystery series set in Wales revolving around the undecided Constable Evan Evans.The StoryA small film crew has descended upon Llanfair to produce a documentary about raising an old World War II German fighter plane from the depths of Llyn Llydaw. Exciting for the village---especially for Betsy, as she is just dying to get into the movies; not so exciting for Evans as one of the crew is Bronwen's ex-husband, Edward Ferrers.When one of the crew is found murdered, it's Edward who's up for it and Bronwen begs Evans to help her ex. There are a number of other possibilities as Smith has been stirring things up in Wales looking to enliven the documentary with interviews with people who lived through the war. And he's not looking for sweetness and light...The CharactersConstable Evan Evans threw up a promising career in England to get back to his roots in Wales. Evans tends to think sideways and has managed to solve a number of cases much to DI Hughes' chagrin. His partner "in crime", solving that is, is Sergeant Watkins.Bronwen Price is a schoolteacher in the village of Llanfair and the target of Evans' affections.The dead man, Grantley Smith, is a selfish ass with a nasty temperament always wanting to poke at people to make them bleed. The suspects are many although Bronwen's ex seems the most obvious. Edward Ferrers is the plane buff and holder of the money that is producing this documentary. Howard Bauer is a prize-winning documentary director helping out with his name. Robert James is the son of the man Smith shocked into a heart attack and Gerhart Eichner is the brother of one of the dead pilots and is dead set against his body being disturbed. Our trip back in time revolves around Trefor Thomas who had the talent and the desire to become an artist. Just, not enough desire since he remained in Wales and went down the mines when he was 14 just before WWII broke out.My TakeThis was a bit irritating for at least half the story with its jumping back and forth between one character's thoughts and memories during World War II and current events and it took a good chunk of the book before the connection arose.There is actually a plethora of suspects which Evans seems reluctant to pass on to Sergeant Watkins...he just dribbles the names over. I think it's partly due to the newly-promoted DC Davies being partnered up with Watkins.I have to wonder just where Evans' mind is. He wants Bronwen for himself but doesn't seem all that interested in her being his one and only. At least, not until his claim is challenged.The CoverThe cover is a close-up of a many-gabled rooftop with mountains in the background. The most likely meaning behind the title, Evan Can Wait, is Evan having to wait for the next round in openings for detective. Seeing as how, the police department is determined to fill up the existing ones with women.
Constable Evan Evans enjoys his work in the Welsh village of Llanfair, on the slopes of Mt. Snowdon. Then a documentary film crew shows up to film the retrieval of a WWII plane from a local lake, and Evans is assigned to keep the local populace away from them. Things get more complicated when it transpires that one of the crew is Evans' girlfriend's ex-husband, and she knows all of them from Cambridge. As Evans struggles to figure out just how much Bronwen still cares for her ex, and to keep local barmaid Betsy from showing up at the film site in her bikini again, trying to break into Hollywood (especially as it's winter), someone decides that the most annoying of the film crew has lived too long, and takes care of that little problem. Although Evans is not officially on the case, he investigates anyway. Interspersed with the modern-day story are memories of a WWII vet who used to work in the local slate mines, and helped build the sheds that protected the great artworks hidden there during the war.This was an enjoyable, light mystery in a lovely setting. Having been to North Wales, it is every bit as beautiful as it is portrayed--and the slate-mining towns just as dreary. Although I was a little bummed by the end of the WWII vet's tale (for reasons I won't explain, so I don't spoil them), overall it was an enjoyable read.
What do You think about Evan Can Wait (2001)?
This is another in the "cozy mystery" genre with Constable Evan Evans of Wales, and I continue to enjoy these books. The mystery to be solved is pretty good in this one, involving a murdered man in the depths of a slate mine, the raising of a WWII German plane from a local loch, and a bit of history concerning the safe-guarding of national art treasures during the war.Evans' relationship with Bronwen, the local school teacher, continues to develop, so I would recommend reading this series in chronological order.
—Sally
Coincidentally, Right when I started reading this there was a "Masterpiece Contemporary" show on PBS that brought up the WWII historical event of the National Gallery storing all their paintings in a Welsh slate mine during the time London was being bombed. This mystery also deals with that, in part (saying more might give too much away). I love this entire series because I am an American absolutely in love with North Wales and Welsh but I thought this book especially gave the characters a little more depth and got into Welsh history a little more and I found it extra enjoyable because of that.
—Nelie
Evan Can Wait - GRhys BowenWhen a documentary film crew arrives in the Welsh village of Llanfair to try to raise a WWII German bomber sunk in a lake, Constable Evan Evans finds he has more to do than simply keep the curious at bay in this light police procedural. The film's arrogant and conceited director, Grantley Smith, manages to offend just about everyone, including Evan. To complicate matters, Grantley's partner on the project, Edward Ferrers, turns out to be the ex-husband of Evan's sweetheart, Bronwen Price. When Grantley falls out of the local scenic railway train unharmed, it appears to be an accident. But it's clearly murder when Evan discovers his body in a pool of water in an abandoned mine, weighed down with slate.Another good entry in a very enjoyable series.
—LJ
