Wood, Graham R. 1945–

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Wood, Graham R. 1945–

PERSONAL: Born 1945. Education: College graduate (with honors).

ADDRESSES: Home—Wales. Agent—c/o Author Mail, Intrigue Press, P.O. Box 102004, Denver, CO 80210.

CAREER: Writer. Worked in business before becoming a full-time writer.

WRITINGS:

Detective Lauriant Investigates: A Worldkrime Mystery: A Death in a Ditch, and The Murder in the Vendée, Intrigue Press (Philadelphia, PA), 2001.

Death in Provence (mystery), Intrigue Press (Denver, CO), 2003.

SIDELIGHTS: In his first book, Detective Lauriant Investigates: A Worldkrime Mystery: A Death in a Ditch, and The Murder in the Vendée, businessman-turned-mystery writer Graham R. Wood presents two novellas focusing on mysteries that take place in 1960s France. In the first, A Death in a Ditch, hard-drinking Detective Lauriant finds himself in the rural town of Saint Sauveur, investigating the murder of an antiques dealer who was wealthy but whose antique shop seemed unsuccessful, raising questions as to the source of the dead man's wealth. In Murder in the Vendée, the French detectivehas been disgraced. Sent from Paris to a small town to solve the murder of a count, he is soon confronted with suspects ranging from the count's own family to political enemies. Writing in the Library Journal, Rex E. Klett commented that in Murder in the Vendée, "Soothing, stylish prose, low-key but persistent action, and deft character descriptions are nicely blended."

In Death in Provence Wood once again presents two novellas, each set in 1960s rural France and both featuring Detective Lauriant. A Dead Man's Morning has Lauriant in Sarcelles sur Mures for a funeral when he becomes involved in the investigation of the drowning murder of a generally disliked man who may have been a Nazi sympathizer. In the second novella, The Sins of the Father, Lauriant is on holiday when the French secretary of state calls on him to investigate the murder of a retired general of questionable political views who was involved in political dealings between France and Algeria. As Lauriant delves into the case, he uncovers an international element involving Middle East and European terror organizations. In a review on the Books 'n' Bytes Web site, Gina Metz noted that she wanted "more depth to the characters" but also commented that "The stories did turn out to be good reads." Writing on AllReaders.com, Harriet Klausner noted, "Both stories that make up this collection are solid police procedurals due to the superb protagonists, [including] a dedicated individual trying to see that justice is served, French style."

BIOGRAPHICAL AND CRITICAL SOURCES:

PERIODICALS

Library Journal, April 1, 2002, Rex E. Klett, review of Detective Lauriant Investigates: A Worldkrime Mystery: A Death in a Ditch, and The Murder in the Vendée, p. 145.