Lost Lad London Volume 3

The mystery concludes in Shima Shinya’s Lost Lad London volume 3. (I previously wrote about the first book and the second one.)

This final volume begins with a fascinating chapter. Instead of showing the suspect Al and detective Ellis working on the case, we check in on the perspective of several supporting characters: Rosie, a female police officer; Safa, her co-worker, a woman of color who wears a headscarf; and the Asian couple who runs the Chinese restaurant where Al works. The views of these people who aren’t white males, all of whom have worked hard and faced bias, reminds us that there’s more to this mystery than “who killed the mayor”. It’s particularly resonant to see a working police officer say “sometimes, I feel complicit in upholding the status quo of this whole system.”

The following chapter is equally philosophical, as the accident-prone Ellis visits his doctor, who comments on his history with injuries and alludes to non-physical wounds as well. It’s difficult for him to accept help, which is why his interactions with Al are so unusual for both of them. Two loners, drawn together, who have what each other needs.

While not advancing the main plot — where the solution is quickly becoming obvious — the context these additional stories add makes this mystery more of a story than just a puzzle. The best mysteries are character-based, after all.

That main part of the story ends with a dramatic showdown, drawing from the thriller and media traditions. But the underlying message is that you don’t have to let a single event, no matter how traumatic, define your life. That’s a pretty good thought, and the book, after telling us what happened and why, ends with hope. Lost Lad London is an intriguing read, and a rewarding one.