The Sunken Sailor

By Elizabeth Foxwell (Editor)

     A round-robin is a story in which each chapter is written by a different author. The manuscript is given, and once that particular author has finished his contribution, the entire thing is passed on to the next author. The only general rule is not to contradict any of the facts that were previously presented in the story. In cases where this format works well, the authors have quite a bit of fun with the stories. Such is the case with The Sunken Sailor.

     Set in England following the First World War, the story is set up with a dinner party at the residence of the Dowager Duchess of Faughstrayne. Later that evening, the body of one of the guests is discovered at the bottom of a fountain in the gardens. The cast of characters engaged in the mystery run the gamut from a local Inspector to a rich, mysterious man from South America, to an injured veteran of the war with a knack for unraveling (or is it meddling in) mysteries.

     From there, the story takes twists and turns galore as each author infuses a bit of themselves and their own style into each chapter. Situations are set up for the author allowing them to write their way out of. It is a great deal of fun to read some of the crazy ideas each author comes up with and how the next one manages to turn things around, or sometimes have the story become even more outrageous.

     Despite the fact that in all fourteen different authors contributed to this story, it works quite well. I enjoyed this mystery that really doesn't take itself too seriously. It made for a light and pleasurable read.