‘Ruby Roy and the Murder in the Falls,’ by Rima Ray, is a highly-entertaining comedic page-turner masquerading as an old-school whodunnit.
At first glance, Ruby Roy has a lot going for her. Three years into her stint as an associate professor at the prestigious Baron University, the only child has done well to make her parents proud. Unfortunately, all is not as it appears, thanks in large part to Ruby’s penchant for embarrassing herself at the worst possible moments. With her sights set on earning tenure, the last thing Ruby needs is a distraction, which makes the dead body she finds in her office a horribly inconvenient situation. To make matters worse, the body in question belongs to her department chair. When the police begin asking questions, Ruby decides to take matters into her own hands. Armed with little more than a lifelong obsession for police procedurals, Ruby dives headfirst into the case that is anything but what it seems.
‘Ruby Roy and the Murder in the Falls’ has so much going for it, but the novel’s character-centric plot may initially underwhelm those hoping for a hard-boiled clue-fest. Unlike a traditional murder/mystery, Ray has crafted an easily-distracted protagonist that is, by all accounts, ill-suited to the P.I. lifestyle. But for those willing to check those pesky expectations, a highly-amusing read awaits. Of course, at the center of it all is Ruby. While ‘Ruby Roy and the Murder in the Falls’ is Ray’s debut release, there’s an earned authenticity to her central character that’s undeniable. Perhaps Ruby is a work of fiction, or maybe she’s inspired by Ray’s personal story. Either way, she’s memorable in all the ways that matter.
Sure, there are a few hiccups here and there—the author occasionally gets a little long-winded in the exposition department—but overall, Ray's voice as an author is distinctly her own. Obviously, mileage will vary when it comes to ‘Ruby Roy and the Murder in the Falls,’ but for my money, this is a fantastic debut from a talented writer.