ARC Review | All Come to Dust by Bryony Rheam |

This Bulawayo's chief inspector careens into the abyss of an agency owner's mysterious death - where everyone in connection to the dead has a secret pinned behind their backs.

Agatha Christie's Hercule Poirot is, maybe, by far, one of the most legendary fictional detectives in crime novel history. The portly Belgian's panache for his moustache and his discrete sense of working style in books like Murder on the Orient Express, Death on the Nile, The A.B.C Murders, Third Girl, The Christmas Pudding, Halloween Party and many other series, still captivates readers with his peculiar ways of solving cases. Here comes a crime novel by Zimbabwe Best First Book Award Winner with a similar character but not very familiar, in his eccentric way of solving homicide in a Zimbabwean mystery fiction. 

Title: All Come to Dust 

Genre: Crime, Mystery, Fiction 

Author: Bryony Rheam 

Publication date: March 4, 2022 

Publisher: Parthian Books 

Where you can pre-order? Click here

Bryony Rheam's All Come to Dust follows the uncanny death of Marcia Pullman, a recruitment agency owner and an organizer of a book club, in suburbs of Bulawayo where Janet, a close acquittance, finds her pale and still with a letter opener sticking out of her chest. The investigation begins when Inspector chief, Edmund Dube, takes over the case. The peculiar man drives his ways in getting on to everyone connected to the dead especially Dorcas, the maid, and the corpse's husband, Mr. Pullman. Bitterly, they avoid him, insinuating to leave them out of interrogation. But when the relentless Chief gets his hands dirty, the case steers darker and darker with unlikely allies who doesn't seem connected to the case but unintentionally, connect the dots. While the Inspector juggles his tormented past, he dives deep into the murder case, risking his life after a dexterous killer. 

The beginning will entrance you. So many things are happening like the author is taking the reader in a tour, making them experience the little things that you don't notice but witness everyday. The situation gets tense and the moment becomes heavy until nothing seems normal. That's when the suspense shoots up inconspicuous. Like it would silently tiptoe behind your back. That said, I can say, the narration is good but long. Sometimes, you may feel you are processing too much. You may want to stop and proceed at your own pace. The writing style is elegant. The flow will mesh the reader in with so many elements crafted in detail. However, the plot doesn't show up easily. The storyline is tedious. I also felt some scenes related to Edmund's past are extended unnecessarily. Overall, the reader may feel intrigued but after some time may doze off. 

The characters are tremendously profiled. They each have their own eccentricity. They define a personality that you wouldn't be able to ignore. The main protagonist, Edmund Dube, though, holds the book solely but other characters like Dorcas and Craig entertain majorly in the ongoing investigation. I like them more than Edmund. While Craig is like Shaggy from Scooby Doo, Dorcas is like Cookie Lyon from Empire series. Comical, humorous, hurt while the other is tough, sarcastic and badass. 

There is a passage that piqued my attention. Maybe because it is portrayed differently when in a scene Dorcas and Edmund don't exactly get along during interrogation,

"Edmund thought again about the lunch dishes next to the sink.

'I wonder perhaps if there weren't an outside interest for Mrs. Pullman.'

She stared at him open mouthed. 'What?'

'Forget I asked,' said Edmund, feeling more than a little embarrassed."

Author, Bryony, has written an exceptional novel but catering to one's reading interest, this crime fiction is long and elaborate. She has tried to frame Edmund Dube the next budding detective but I couldn't understand him as much as I wanted to like him. As you read, you may feel you are getting into the hype and the next moment, you may shrug and say, "Come to the point now!" I enjoyed some parts especially whenever Craig was involved. I fell in and out. Sometimes, I hung to the story, sometimes I couldn't. But, this anticipated whodunnit is sure an entertainer — only if you have time and patience. 

P.S. I voluntarily read and reviewed a digital copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own. Note, quote or related content used by me from the book may vary in the published version.

Priyanka Patra is a self-published writer of Upon Me. She lives in Odisha, India with her family in a small town. She has done her MBA in Marketing & HR from Birla Global University in Bhubaneswar, Odisha. She is aiming to write more books especially in fiction genre.