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Ben Reese #2
Pride and Predator
ACADEMIC SLEUTH BEN REESE IS BACK--
SMOKING OUT A KILLER IN SCOTLAND.
Parson Jonathan MacLean is too healthy and widely loved to die so young. Yet suddenly and mysteriously he's dead. Archivist Ben Reese, in Scotland to appraise the treasures of Balnagard Castle for his old friend Lord Alexander Chisholm, suspects cold-blooded murder. And he is absolutely certain it was one of Jonathan's kith and kin who slipped into his picnic hamper the bees that triggered his fatal allergy. What Ben doesn't suspect is that the same venomous killer is now arranging a most creative death for Ben himself. . . .
SMOKING OUT A KILLER IN SCOTLAND.
Parson Jonathan MacLean is too healthy and widely loved to die so young. Yet suddenly and mysteriously he's dead. Archivist Ben Reese, in Scotland to appraise the treasures of Balnagard Castle for his old friend Lord Alexander Chisholm, suspects cold-blooded murder. And he is absolutely certain it was one of Jonathan's kith and kin who slipped into his picnic hamper the bees that triggered his fatal allergy. What Ben doesn't suspect is that the same venomous killer is now arranging a most creative death for Ben himself. . . .
336 pages, Mass Market Paperback
First published January 1, 1997
19 people are currently reading
99 people want to read
About the author
Sally Wright
14 books38 followersSally Sluhan Wright was born in Hartford, Connecticut on January 31, 1947 to Clyde A. and Marian (Elliott) Sluhan. She graduated from Northwestern University in 1969 with a degree in Oral Interpretation of English Literature.
She authored the Ben Reese and Jo Grant series. Her first book and the first installment in the Ben Reese series, Publish & Perish, came out in 1997.
In 2001, she was nominated (finalist) for the Edgar Allan Poe Award for Pursuit & Persuasion, the third Ben Reese book.
She died on June 15, 2018 at her home in Bowling Green. She was 71.
She authored the Ben Reese and Jo Grant series. Her first book and the first installment in the Ben Reese series, Publish & Perish, came out in 1997.
In 2001, she was nominated (finalist) for the Edgar Allan Poe Award for Pursuit & Persuasion, the third Ben Reese book.
She died on June 15, 2018 at her home in Bowling Green. She was 71.
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Displaying 1 - 22 of 22 reviews
September 2, 2018
A minister's death from a bee sting seems natural, but his wife and best friend have their doubts, so they ask Reese to see whether there is enough evidence to call the police back.
Wright conjures up enough suspects to keep Reese busy, and the reader entertained.
p. 313 ¶ 1 line 19: "accommodating" misspelled.
Wright conjures up enough suspects to keep Reese busy, and the reader entertained.
p. 313 ¶ 1 line 19: "accommodating" misspelled.
May 29, 2022
PRIDE AND PREDATOR is bk 2 in Sally Wright’s 6 book Ben Reese (Post WWII era) Historical Mystery series. Although the character, Ben Reese, is an amateur investigator, I think of this series more a Historical Mystery than a “Cozy.”
MY RATING GUIDE: 4.5 Stars.
1= dnf/What was that?; 2= Nope, not for me; 3= This was okay/cute; 3.5= I enjoyed it; 4= I LIKED IT A LOT; 5= I Loved it, THIS IS WELL DONE! (I seldom give 5 Stars).
Ben Reese Mysteries is a book series that I will reread again and again (this is my 3rd). The main character is a reserved, thoughtful, intelligent and very capable man whose backstory unveils over the course of the series. I Highly Recommend PRIDE AND PREDATOR to readers of Historical Mysteries (WWII & post-WWII), character driven novels, those who enjoy intelligent mysteries and readers of various genres (as am I). Note that PRIDE AND PREDATOR is a thoughtful mystery novel rather than an action-packed adventure (both I enjoy on occasion). PRIDE AND PREDATOR can be read as a standalone title but I believe reading the 6book series in order enriches the overall experience. PRIDE AND PREDATOR is book 2, with bk 6 being a Prequel.
Backstory ~ Presented in flashbacks, nightmares & recollections.
Ben Reese/MMC, at 18yrs enlists and serves as a WWII Army Calvary Scout > Ranger, and as a member of the “Nightime Special” unit. His missions in military intelligence and in reconnaissance take him into Normandy, the Battle of the Bulge, among the first to discover the Malme’dy Massacre, always deep into enemy territory. German large caliber weapon fire finally takes him down during a mission in Trier. After many hours and several modes of transportation, Ben’s bloodied and unconscious body arrives in Paris for surgery, very nearly dead. No one expects him to survive.
Present Day ~ Spring, 1961
Ben Reese/MC, 37yrs and a widower of 4yrs, is an archivist and well-liked professor at a small, private Ohio college. Ben has arrived in Scotland to appraise items belonging to a man he first met during their mutual hospitalization during the war. Knowledgeable in identifying artifacts like coins, paintings and documents, Ben anticipates a quiet vacation, of sorts, in which he will both work and enjoy time with his unique friend - a linguist, historian, former decoder and Scottish lord. Yet upon Ben’s arrival, Lord Alexander Chrisholm alters Ben’s plans by requesting his assistance in the matter of a mutual friend and acquaintance’s death. Alex believes the man, a local and well-liked minister in his prime years, has been murdered.
What I Liked:
1) PRIDE AND PREDATOR (published 1997) is very well written and has held up well over time. The characters are well described and believeable. I found myself responding to them as if they were real people.
2) The solving of the mystery kept my interest. I wasn’t sure of the antagonist’s identity until the very end. I kept flipping the pages to see what would happen next.
3) As the book progresses, Ben’s back story is gradually revealed, unfolding his character while providing a better understanding of who he is.
4) It is Ben’ perspective in this series that makes it work for me. I need to like and respect the main characters as well as the writing, itself, for me to enjoy the book. In PRIDE AND PREDATOR, I find both.
5) Wright interweaves questions about choice, integrity, humanity, personal beliefs, destiny and purpose throughout. Each time I read this series, I am challenged to not only enjoy the mystery but to ponder more.
Other Comments -
1) WATCHES also provides a sampling of the type of projects and consignments an esteemed archivist who is also an artifact expert, restorer might accept. I found this interesting.
2) Another interesting fact is that Ms Wright created the Ben Reese character after a real person who actually served as an Army Scout Ranger during WWII and was present in the battles mentioned in this series. As civilians, the debt we owe these men and women is immeasurable. (Author notes in closing comments).
READER CAUTIONS - This is a Clean mystery, IMO appropriate for readers of mysteries - YA and up.
VIOLENCE - PG. A murder mystery yet not dark or graphic.
PROFANITY - None.
SEXUAL SITUATIONS - None.
MY RATING GUIDE: 4.5 Stars.
1= dnf/What was that?; 2= Nope, not for me; 3= This was okay/cute; 3.5= I enjoyed it; 4= I LIKED IT A LOT; 5= I Loved it, THIS IS WELL DONE! (I seldom give 5 Stars).
Ben Reese Mysteries is a book series that I will reread again and again (this is my 3rd). The main character is a reserved, thoughtful, intelligent and very capable man whose backstory unveils over the course of the series. I Highly Recommend PRIDE AND PREDATOR to readers of Historical Mysteries (WWII & post-WWII), character driven novels, those who enjoy intelligent mysteries and readers of various genres (as am I). Note that PRIDE AND PREDATOR is a thoughtful mystery novel rather than an action-packed adventure (both I enjoy on occasion). PRIDE AND PREDATOR can be read as a standalone title but I believe reading the 6book series in order enriches the overall experience. PRIDE AND PREDATOR is book 2, with bk 6 being a Prequel.
Backstory ~ Presented in flashbacks, nightmares & recollections.
Ben Reese/MMC, at 18yrs enlists and serves as a WWII Army Calvary Scout > Ranger, and as a member of the “Nightime Special” unit. His missions in military intelligence and in reconnaissance take him into Normandy, the Battle of the Bulge, among the first to discover the Malme’dy Massacre, always deep into enemy territory. German large caliber weapon fire finally takes him down during a mission in Trier. After many hours and several modes of transportation, Ben’s bloodied and unconscious body arrives in Paris for surgery, very nearly dead. No one expects him to survive.
Present Day ~ Spring, 1961
Ben Reese/MC, 37yrs and a widower of 4yrs, is an archivist and well-liked professor at a small, private Ohio college. Ben has arrived in Scotland to appraise items belonging to a man he first met during their mutual hospitalization during the war. Knowledgeable in identifying artifacts like coins, paintings and documents, Ben anticipates a quiet vacation, of sorts, in which he will both work and enjoy time with his unique friend - a linguist, historian, former decoder and Scottish lord. Yet upon Ben’s arrival, Lord Alexander Chrisholm alters Ben’s plans by requesting his assistance in the matter of a mutual friend and acquaintance’s death. Alex believes the man, a local and well-liked minister in his prime years, has been murdered.
What I Liked:
1) PRIDE AND PREDATOR (published 1997) is very well written and has held up well over time. The characters are well described and believeable. I found myself responding to them as if they were real people.
2) The solving of the mystery kept my interest. I wasn’t sure of the antagonist’s identity until the very end. I kept flipping the pages to see what would happen next.
3) As the book progresses, Ben’s back story is gradually revealed, unfolding his character while providing a better understanding of who he is.
4) It is Ben’ perspective in this series that makes it work for me. I need to like and respect the main characters as well as the writing, itself, for me to enjoy the book. In PRIDE AND PREDATOR, I find both.
5) Wright interweaves questions about choice, integrity, humanity, personal beliefs, destiny and purpose throughout. Each time I read this series, I am challenged to not only enjoy the mystery but to ponder more.
Other Comments -
1) WATCHES also provides a sampling of the type of projects and consignments an esteemed archivist who is also an artifact expert, restorer might accept. I found this interesting.
2) Another interesting fact is that Ms Wright created the Ben Reese character after a real person who actually served as an Army Scout Ranger during WWII and was present in the battles mentioned in this series. As civilians, the debt we owe these men and women is immeasurable. (Author notes in closing comments).
READER CAUTIONS - This is a Clean mystery, IMO appropriate for readers of mysteries - YA and up.
VIOLENCE - PG. A murder mystery yet not dark or graphic.
PROFANITY - None.
SEXUAL SITUATIONS - None.
January 12, 2013
Own.
A worthy follow-up to Publish and Perish. The story unfolds slowly and carefully as Ben Reese methodically goes through the clues to this whodunit.
Dr. Reese is a complex character: generous to his friends, methodical in his work, thoughtful in his study, mourning the loss of his wife, and still suffering from Post-Traumatic Stress (although they wouldn't have called it that then). He has traveled to Scotland to help a friend, Lord Alex, from war-time determine how to keep the Lord Alex's family's grand house afloat - are there things that can be sold? As an archivist he knows the worth of many objects within the house.
Immediately before he arrives, Alex's best friend from childhood, Jon, dies under suspicious circumstances. There's a picnic basket without fingerprints but with bees, to which Jon is deathly allergic. Who could have given this to Pastor Jon, war-hero and all around good guy.
It seems Pastor Jon has a number of folk who could hold a grudge against him, but the motives are weak and the timing doesn't work. Who could have done this thing? And can Ben keep him from acting again?
Each of the suspects has a motive that is bound up in pride, pride of work, pride of love, pride of family, pride of self. Pride leads to murder as it has since the beginning - oh, not always, but when we get so wrapped up in ourselves, others must be gotten out of the way. That is precisely what happened here, and it's a well done tale.
Because the story is set in Scotland, there's a little brogue. Generally, I hate written brogue. I find it distracting and I have to translate in my head but I didn't mind it this time. Perhaps because I have an aunt from Scotland.
I did find that the end of the book was a little too obvious with pulling the themes together for the reader, but it was a conversation that had to happen.
Now I can read Book 3 which I got for Christmas :)
A worthy follow-up to Publish and Perish. The story unfolds slowly and carefully as Ben Reese methodically goes through the clues to this whodunit.
Dr. Reese is a complex character: generous to his friends, methodical in his work, thoughtful in his study, mourning the loss of his wife, and still suffering from Post-Traumatic Stress (although they wouldn't have called it that then). He has traveled to Scotland to help a friend, Lord Alex, from war-time determine how to keep the Lord Alex's family's grand house afloat - are there things that can be sold? As an archivist he knows the worth of many objects within the house.
Immediately before he arrives, Alex's best friend from childhood, Jon, dies under suspicious circumstances. There's a picnic basket without fingerprints but with bees, to which Jon is deathly allergic. Who could have given this to Pastor Jon, war-hero and all around good guy.
It seems Pastor Jon has a number of folk who could hold a grudge against him, but the motives are weak and the timing doesn't work. Who could have done this thing? And can Ben keep him from acting again?
Each of the suspects has a motive that is bound up in pride, pride of work, pride of love, pride of family, pride of self. Pride leads to murder as it has since the beginning - oh, not always, but when we get so wrapped up in ourselves, others must be gotten out of the way. That is precisely what happened here, and it's a well done tale.
Because the story is set in Scotland, there's a little brogue. Generally, I hate written brogue. I find it distracting and I have to translate in my head but I didn't mind it this time. Perhaps because I have an aunt from Scotland.
I did find that the end of the book was a little too obvious with pulling the themes together for the reader, but it was a conversation that had to happen.
Now I can read Book 3 which I got for Christmas :)
February 1, 2008
One of the best I have read for our mystery book club.
It took place in Scotland and was complicated and well-written. Reminded me of The Golden Age of mystery writing in Great Britain in the 1930's.
It took place in Scotland and was complicated and well-written. Reminded me of The Golden Age of mystery writing in Great Britain in the 1930's.
April 29, 2010
Recently reread and enjoyed it very much--particularly the Scottish setting, which is well crafted but not overdone.
December 15, 2010
Kindle...liked this one even better than the first of the Ben Reese mysteries....
January 27, 2013
Old school detective fiction, beautifully written.
November 9, 2023
Ben Reese arrives in Scotland to appraise heirloom of Balnagard Castel and finds that the best friend of Lord Chisholm has suddenly dies. Chisholm is suspicious that it could be murder and not medical.
The victim, Parson Jonathan McLean, is well liked by all who know him, and in the best of health. The sudden death makes no sense to his friends and wife.
Reese finds himself delving into the history of McLean’s family for possible cles and suspects, and putting the research on the Balnagard project, by the request of Chisholm.
Research being Reese’s area of expertise, he finds there is many threads to trace down and connect to get a complete tapestry of the murder. He finds that there is more than the obvious to the family history and slowly gets the whole story.
I’ve read other books in this series and have others. I am looking forward to them as I enjoy the characters, setting and pace.
The victim, Parson Jonathan McLean, is well liked by all who know him, and in the best of health. The sudden death makes no sense to his friends and wife.
Reese finds himself delving into the history of McLean’s family for possible cles and suspects, and putting the research on the Balnagard project, by the request of Chisholm.
Research being Reese’s area of expertise, he finds there is many threads to trace down and connect to get a complete tapestry of the murder. He finds that there is more than the obvious to the family history and slowly gets the whole story.
I’ve read other books in this series and have others. I am looking forward to them as I enjoy the characters, setting and pace.
August 31, 2018
3 stars. This is a fairly good mystery, but it was just too easy to guess early on who the killer was, and while there are a lot of red herrings there really aren't any twists, so if you do guess early as I did, you are left a bit flat at the end. The detective is interesting, and the clues are well planted, but several of the promising suspects are too easily ruled out for this to be a keeper for me.
May 19, 2025
Ben Reese is in Scotland, this time, trying to figure out if there's anything suspicious about the death of the most beloved man in the parish. (Spoiler alert: there is.) Second in the series, this volume follows the grand tradition (as found in good detective fiction) of heroism, humanity, coincidences, desperation, back alley fortuitous events, and deep human emotion. I thoroughly enjoyed it.
August 8, 2018
Murder mystery set amongst the Scottish gentry in 1961. Old fashioned whodunit.
July 28, 2020
This is a well written whodunnit. Good thing the author listed the characters at the beginning as I needed to refer to it multiple times. It kept me engaged.
June 30, 2023
I'd give it 3 1/2 starts. It seemed a bit slow.
October 12, 2013
#2 in the Ben Reese series. This 1997 entry takes place in 1961. Ben Reese, is a WWII hero and an archivist at a small college in Ohio. He is in Scotland to appraise the contents of a castle when the minister the collection's owner was to meet for a weekend hike turns up dead, apparently by accident, and he is asked to investigate. The book, while not overlong, is dense with characters and locations and is a slow, but interesting read. Reese progresses by identifying suspects and eliminating them one-by-one as he investigates their alibis - and complex, interesting alibis they are. Finally the extraneous characters have been whittled away and Benn can get down to identifying the killer and saving his own life.
Ben Reese series - While reaching into a breakfast basket, Parson Jonathan MacLean suddenly collapses and dies. His wife is stunned because MacLean was healthy and there was apparently no reason for his death. Meanwhile, when American archivist and amateur sleuth Ben Reese arrives to appraise the contents of a nearby estate, he's asked to investigate the parson's death. Evidence suggests MacLean was killed by a bee sting, but when an attempt is made on Reese's life and MacLean's wife turns up dead, Reese realizes that murder is afoot. Suspects begin to surface from MacLean's brother to a local resident recently released from a mental institution. Set against the backdrop of the beautiful yet mysterious Scottish countryside and filled with suspicious locals who for reasons of their own take sides for or against Reese, this is quite a compelling story.
Ben Reese series - While reaching into a breakfast basket, Parson Jonathan MacLean suddenly collapses and dies. His wife is stunned because MacLean was healthy and there was apparently no reason for his death. Meanwhile, when American archivist and amateur sleuth Ben Reese arrives to appraise the contents of a nearby estate, he's asked to investigate the parson's death. Evidence suggests MacLean was killed by a bee sting, but when an attempt is made on Reese's life and MacLean's wife turns up dead, Reese realizes that murder is afoot. Suspects begin to surface from MacLean's brother to a local resident recently released from a mental institution. Set against the backdrop of the beautiful yet mysterious Scottish countryside and filled with suspicious locals who for reasons of their own take sides for or against Reese, this is quite a compelling story.
December 16, 2010
Ho-hum. I found this very easy to put down, but I did manage to finish it. Just.
I think this was an attempt to mimic the format of classic mystery authors (like Christie). The story is set in Scotland in 1961. We have an ex-military intelligence officer (wounded at some point in his career)-now a glorified appraiser-arriving to help a Scottish aristocrat decide what of his family heirlooms/collections to sell off in order to keep up the family home. But said aristocrat's friend has died under slightly suspicious circumstances...and then after the reading of the will, said friend's wife dies. Hmmmm. Something suspicious here?
The characters were rather flat, the solution pretty easy to guess. And the author constantly had characters saying "a'tall", which really started to irritate me. The dialog seemed forced at times, and the book seemed much longer than it really is. An okay read if you have nothing else around.
I think this was an attempt to mimic the format of classic mystery authors (like Christie). The story is set in Scotland in 1961. We have an ex-military intelligence officer (wounded at some point in his career)-now a glorified appraiser-arriving to help a Scottish aristocrat decide what of his family heirlooms/collections to sell off in order to keep up the family home. But said aristocrat's friend has died under slightly suspicious circumstances...and then after the reading of the will, said friend's wife dies. Hmmmm. Something suspicious here?
The characters were rather flat, the solution pretty easy to guess. And the author constantly had characters saying "a'tall", which really started to irritate me. The dialog seemed forced at times, and the book seemed much longer than it really is. An okay read if you have nothing else around.
April 6, 2016
I enjoyed this second book about Ben Reese, archivist at a private university in the Midwest. This time, he is in Scotland examining historical artifacts for a friend when a minister know to the friend is murdered. Ben is engaged to investigate the death because of his background in intelligence during WWII. Of course, one death leads to another and Ben prevails. The time (1961) and the Scottish location was charming but Wright's attempt at dialect fell flat at times.
She also became preachy after the reveal which was tedious and unpleasant.
All in all, I like her style and intelligent writing and will continue to read the series unless her conservative rants grow too much to handle.
She also became preachy after the reveal which was tedious and unpleasant.
All in all, I like her style and intelligent writing and will continue to read the series unless her conservative rants grow too much to handle.
April 17, 2016
This was a great countryside mystery. The detective is an academic from America who happens to be in Scotland doing some appraising work on an old estate when a murder is committed. The characters were all drawn very well and the setting was a lot of fun. I enjoyed traveling back to Scotland via book. The mystery itself was engaging to piece together (although I figured it out pretty early on). I really enjoyed spending time with the characters and I'll be interested in reading the rest of the series. A fun, light vacation read.
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August 23, 2016I actually stopped reading this book awhile back. Got about 1/3 into it and the story was not holding my interest. While I enjoyed the first in this series this one simply did not work for me, not sure why, but one thing for sure
I have two other books from this series and will eventually pick them up.
I have two other books from this series and will eventually pick them up.
August 23, 2012
I couldn't get far into this book. I got realy annoyed with "a'tall" on every page. It could be a formatting issue, but why wouldn't "at all" be accepted.
I know i'm nit picking but I have a stack of others I could try.
I know i'm nit picking but I have a stack of others I could try.
July 26, 2016
A good mystery in the classic style. It's well-written, which is a difficult thing when your main character is a Christian. It's so easy to fall into preachy sentimentalism. I'm looking forward to the next in the series.
August 31, 2016
Lots of suspects, very well set up!
May 8, 2007
#2 for archivist Ben Reese
Displaying 1 - 22 of 22 reviews