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Christopher D. Abbott is the award winning author of Sir Laurence Dies, Dr Chandrix Dies, and co-author of Revolting Tales (with Todd A Curry). He has a background in human behavioural studies and psychology. Having worked in IT, communications, safety and health, and sales, he gained a good understanding of people and their behaviours. Abbott is a self confessed avid reader of crime fiction, and he took creative writing courses, which fuelled his ambition to publish a character driven crime story. He loves quirky characters such as Rodney David Wingfield's Inspector "Jack" Frost, Agatha Christie's Poirot, and Sir Arthur Conan Doyle's Sherlock Holmes. The Idea of Dr Pieter Straay, his Dutch Criminal Psychologist, came about by integrating the qualities he admires best in these characters.
Sir Laurence Dies, the 1st book in The "Dies" Trilogy, debuted in 2013, and since then it won the Bronze Award in the "Reader's Favorite 2014 Book Awards" for the Mystery - Sleuth category.
Dr. Chandrix Dies, the 2nd book in The "Dies" Trilogy, is available now.
Abbott currently live in Connecticut USA. He loves to write and play music, which is another of his passions. He enjoys cooking, hiking, reading in the sun, and is currently at school studying for a degree in psychology. He is also working on his 3rd Dr Straay novel.
Reviewed by Jack Magnus for Readers' Favorite
Sir Laurence Dies is a detective mystery, written by Christopher D. Abbott, featuring Dutch psychologist, Dr. Pieter Straay, who has a keen interest in crime. He's on his way to England from Amsterdam when he's approached by Sir Laurence Gregson, a retired Lieutenant Colonel. Sir Laurence is a severely disfigured survivor of World War I. He invites Straay to come stay at his estate after confiding that he fears someone is trying to kill him. Sir Laurence recounts a near hunting accident and a later boating accident that, combined with some ominous whispering he overheard, have made him feel sure that his life is in danger. Straay accepts his offer and arranges to come for dinner at the estate. The trains are late, however, and Straay misses the dinner, but is able to observe the inhabitants of the house that evening.
Christopher D. Abbott's detective story is a first-rate murder mystery with an engaging Dutch psychologist-sleuth. The reader gets to follow as Dr. Straay and his friend Chief Inspector Drake interview Sir Laurence's family, friends, and staff after his apparent suicide on the night of Straay's arrival. This is a stylish and enjoyable mystery that keeps the reader guessing as Straay and Drake consider clues, motives, and inconsistencies. Fans of Christie and Holmes alike should enjoy Sir Laurence Dies as well as anyone who likes police procedurals. I was caught up in the plot from the very first pages and found it to be quite entertaining and not at all predictable.
