Six Ostriches

by Philipp Schott, DVM

As a mystery lover who had enjoyed a nonfiction collection of animal stories by Philipp Schott, I looked forward to reading Six Ostriches. I was disappointed.

The crimes against both people and animals were more gruesome than I am comfortable with. I didn’t actually like the protagonist, Peter Bannerman, a veterinarian, or his wife Laura, a paleobiologist currently working from home knitting bespoke attire. Dr. Bannerman is on the autistic spectrum, and it was interesting to read about his deliberate efforts to fit in socially, even when he didn’t understand the motivations of the people who did those things naturally. He has been married to Laura for twenty years, and they have learned how to live together compatibly. 

Normally I enjoy stepping outside my comfort zone to understand and experience other cultures. I also like to delve into historical backgrounds. In this book, however, I couldn’t quite find my place or balance in the mix of Norse, Swedish, and Finn references, both ancient and contemporary. There is a jumble of religions, mythology, and names unfamiliar to me like Gudmundurson and Thorhelson that left me out in the Canadian cold. The author sometimes referred to characters by their first names and sometimes by their last names adding to the confusion. References to 8kun message boards, which were important to the plot, just complicated the book for me.

The setting is spring in New Selfoss in Manitoba, Canada. The ostriches have a minor role as the one named Big Bird swallows something and requires surgery. The blockage sets the rest of the plot into motion. My favorite character is Pippin, Peter’s dog, an “enthusiastic black and white lab-husky-collie mix.” He is smart, faithful, and trained to follow scents. 

The mystery itself was acceptable with lots of clues provided along the way. It was not, however, a page turner for me.

I received a complimentary copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

Rating: 3/5

Category: Mystery

Notes: 1. #2 in the Dr. Bannerman Vet Mystery Series but could be read as a standalone.

    2. Contains swearing and some vulgar inferences.

Publication: May 23, 2023—ECW Press

Memorable Lines:

“Everything comes from somewhere! Everything has a cause, however obscure and difficult to identify. With enough data and a careful analysis of that data, you can usually find a more satisfying and useful explanation than ‘random.“‘

Most veterinarians and their staff agreed that it was best to assume that ponies, while cute, were going to be ill-tempered. Like chihuahuas. That way they would be prepared if they were right and pleasantly surprised if they were wrong. Win-win.

But Peter still felt the buzz of emotion and disordered thoughts commandeering his brain. He rubbed his eyes and stretched. He knew what would help. He would write out his theories. The act of obliging unruly thought to become straight lines on a page always felt akin to running a comb through his tangled neurons.