I considered Erick G.
Benson’s debut novel, The Weight-Pile Murder, a failure
because of flaws in its structure, problems with the prose, and a lack of
tension. He has corrected those flaws in the second Tiger Price murder mystery,
but I was steal not impressed.
In Framed Justice ( ISBN
978-0-595-43681-1), Tiger Price investigates the murder of a drug dealer for
which his best friend’s son is on trial.
Mario Peck, the son of
Price’s friend Paul, got into a fight with his neighbor Fred Dixon over a
microwave oven in the hotel where he lived. Fred ended up dead after Mario stabbed
him in the neck with a small knife. Somebody hit Mario on the hit, causing him
to become woozy, so he didn’t know what happened next. Mario was arrested and
accused of killing Fred.
Mario, electing to be
his own lawyer, is denied access to his file. The Judge also denies several of the
many motions he files. He and his father believe the police, the prosecutor,
and the judge are conspiring to frame him. Paul hires attorney Larry Deter, but
later tries to fire him because he thinks the attorney isn’t working hard
enough on the case. The judge denies his request.
When Price asks Deter to
hire him as his investigator, Deter refuses because he doesn’t want Price interfering
and telling him how to try the case. This doesn’t stop Price from investigating
the case on behalf of his best friend. Upon his initial inspection of the crime
scene and review of what little evidence there is Price sees sloppy
investigative work.
During his
investigation, Price finds himself going up against the system and Deter. He
gets help from his friend Ethal, the very efficient clerk at the prison where
he previously worked, and from an individual named Pilgrim who hangs out in
front of his new office. The evidence he gathers is so compelling Deter cannot
refuse to present it in court. The identity of the killer is revealed during
Deter’s defense not during Price’s investigation.
Benson shows a flair for
vivid description as he presents a picture of the dark side of poverty on a
tour of the section of the city near the hotel known as the Black Tunnel:
TP was dumbfounded. The scene was like nothing he'd ever
seen in his life. There were aluminum cans and broken bottles strewn across the
entire street, sort of like nightmare alley. There were rats as big as cats
strolling along freely down the sidewalk, almost carefree, as if marking out a
territory. Two homeless-looking men were urinating side-by-side in the middle
of the street and, more disgusting still, a woman crouched on the curbside of
the street, defecating. TP continued to watch, shocked. The woman finished her
business, pulled up her pants, and walked over to a man standing nearby. She placed
her hand in a large bag of potato chips that he was holding.
His use of the third
person point of view and vivid descriptions show Benson is capable of writing readable
prose.
I didn’t like the
presentation of the details essential to the plot through courtroom scenes
instead of straight narrative. The introduction of a supernatural character who
is clearly the deus ex-machina, though well done, is, nevertheless, unnecessary.
The religious element at times intrudes and adds nothing
to the plot, character, or theme. For me, the main problem with both novels is
the character of Tiger Price. He has no flaws and lacks emotional depth. He is too perfect. I admit he is not as annoying in Framed
Justice as he is in The Weight-Pile Murder.
Sometimes, it is difficult to tell whether the
thoughts expressed about society, the judicial system, and God are those of
Tiger Price or his creator.
