Review of QUANT by Anthony Bidulka (New Release)

 4.5 Stars

I finally met Russell Quant, the “wine-swilling, wise-cracking, world-travelling, winsomely gay, half Irish, half Ukrainian, ex-cop, ex-farm boy, Canadian prairie PI,” and I thoroughly enjoyed my time spent with him.

In Howell, Saskatchewan, Russell’s hometown, Clem Toth, the community’s go-to handyman, has died. Police believe his death was a suicide motivated by Clem’s guilt at deliberately destroying all the plants of a local nursery business. CeeCee, Clem’s widow and manager of Toth Greenhouse, doesn’t believe he committed the vandalism and is convinced he was actually murdered. Because CeeCee is a family friend, Russell decides to investigate. He interviews a number of people and even travels to the Turks and Caicos Islands to determine if a multi-national company interested in real estate development near Howell could be connected to the unusual events in the tiny hamlet with a population of less than 100.

Besides the mystery which highlights Russell’s professional life, there is some focus on his personal life. Russell’s mother Kay is showing signs of dementia and it is no longer safe for her to live in the farmhouse that has been her home for decades. And besides facing the harsh reality of his mother’s mental decline, he, in his mid-fifties, seems to be having a mid-life crisis. He must come to terms with aging, a process he sees as “agonizingly awash with loss and endings.” Fortunately, he has his husband, JP Taine, to support him.

It is impossible not to like Russell. Many people believe that how a man treats his mother indicates his emotional maturity. There is no doubt of the love he has for Kay. He speaks to and about her with kindness, respect, and empathy. There are some scenes that took my breath away. Kay’s addressing Russell by his father’s name is heart-breaking, and the mother and son eating cinnamon rolls together is such a touching scene. Russell’s love for JP is also obvious; he often mentions his husband’s positive qualities and acknowledges that he would be a lesser man without JP in his life.

Other of Russell’s traits also stand out. He is capable of self-reflection, often examining his thoughts, emotions, and choices. He admits, for instance, that he sometimes jumps to conclusions about people. He’s confident but not arrogant. His lack of arrogance is obvious in his self-deprecating comments. His wit also accentuates his intelligence.

I identified with so much in the novel. I love books which are unapologetically Canadian and celebrate our culture, even our quirks, and this book does that. The first chapter in which Russell describes his upbringing left me feeling very nostalgic since my background is very similar. The author captures the rhythms of small-town life so well. And the pop culture references resonated too.

The only aspect of the novel that I found problematic is Russell’s trip to Providenciales. He describes himself as a first timer to the island, but he knows so much about it. He knows its history and geography and is even familiar with its roads, beaches, restaurants, and resorts. I could assume that he did some research beforehand – or afterwards, since he does narrate in the past tense – but I think it’s more a case of the author’s familiarity with the Turks and Caicos archipelago bleeding into the narrative. I just wish I could get an invitation to a month-long stay at Phillip Painchaud’s rental villa!

I can attest that this is a standalone novel: I’ve not read the other eight Russell Quant novels, and though there are references to past events and relationships, none muddy the waters for a first-time reader of the series. (I did appreciate the allusions to other of the author’s books that I have read; the connection to the author’s trilogy made me want to cheer. I bet Lila and Doreen would get along well.) 

I so enjoyed my time with Russell that I want to read the other books in the series. (Quant takes place 15 years after the last book in the series.) I’d like to get to know some of the other characters mentioned; Kay, in particular, interests me, perhaps because she reminds me of my mother with her accent and her cooking “to excess” for fear someone might leave her home hungry. It’s time to see if my local bookstore has the newly re-issued 8-book original series. And I’m certain that others who meet Russell for the first time in this book will have the same reaction.