The protagonist - Helen Walsh - is a private investigator with an aversion to food, an odd taste in decor, a sharp tongue and a bad case of depression.
Never mind that she has a boyfriend she lusts after and an intriguing case to work on, her mental demons are only one step away from annihilating her at any given moment.
It sounds a bit grim, but Keyes has a comic gift and she tends towards Bridget Jones-type humour, allowing her to incorporate the subject of depression without turning the book into a miseryfest.
Keyes has suffered from depression and I think it is evident she is drawing on first-hand experience.
There is something authentic about Helen's ongoing battle and the vivid descriptions of her suffering.
There are plenty of giggle moments just the same, and I particularly enjoyed the many references to and digs at current events and culture.
The bulk of the story is devoted to Helen's search for a missing member of a pop group. Wayne Diffney has disappeared from his home and failed to turn up for rehearsals for a series of comeback concerts for ageing boy band Laddz. While Helen tries many fruitless leads, the other members of the band grow increasingly anxious the concerts will have to be cancelled, with unthinkable financial consequences.
To add to the pressure, Helen's flat has been repossessed by the bank and she's had to go back home to her parents. Her love life is the only thing not imploding, even though her boyfriend's ex-wife is not nearly as "ex" as she'd like her to be.
Keyes is a natural storyteller and The Mystery of Mercy Close belts along at a cracking pace. Her many sharp and funny observations are bound to induce frequent smirking and one or two belly laughs, which balance the more poignant side of the story very well.
- Caroline Hunter is a Dunedin subeditor.
