Death on the Caldera

Paxman’s jittery debut attempts to combine international political intrigue, family responsibilities, witchcraft, social prejudices, and Agatha Christie pastiche—with uneven results. With the King of Halgyr’s health rapidly failing, his three children—Kellen, a diplomat; Morel, a soldier; and Davina, a rebellious feminist—head home from rival empire Balter on a luxury train crossing a volcanic caldera. Then the engine explodes, halting their progress and, starting with the conductor, the train’s occupants begin to drop dead, their throats slashed. Corrupt politicians, drug smugglers, and a neurotic religious novice complicate Kellen’s attempts to find the murderer amid acts of upsetting violence in an eerie volcanic landscape. Each of the travelers is hiding a dark secret, though Paxman’s narrative favors Kellen’s youthful lover, Genna; her precocious daughter Rae; and Davina, who, it’s revealed, is a witch. The excessive story lines become jumbled, and the constantly shifting interpersonal alliances lead to overly simplistic character revelations. This inflated attempt at genre-bending will frustrate fantasy and mystery fans alike. (May)