Eric Saward Investigates
The Mervyn Stone Mysteries: Geek Tragedy by Nev Fountain
Mervyn Stone is best known for his role as the script editor on the BBC science fiction television show, Vixens from the Void. You must remember it, it went on for ages (1986-1993).
A cross between Star Maidens, Dynasty and Babylon 5 (which is amazing because that show hadn’t even been made yet), Vixens captured the hearts and minds of a nation (in a narrow demographic) with its weekly diet of scantily clad women, ground-breaking special effects and daring political subtext. After all, it didn’t take a genius to work out who Prime Mistress Magaroth was supposed to be, as evidenced in Mervyn’s recent appearance on Newsnight where he freely admitted to using the show as a vehicle to bring down the government. Sadly, his point was undercut somewhat when Paxman played that infamous clip from Day of the Styrax where Vanity Mycroft can clearly be heard breaking wind.
When the show was cancelled, Mervyn faded into obscurity (although many still cite his contribution to Albion Market as a hight point in the market-based soap opera genre), and these days you can find him supplementing his income attending conventions like ConVIx 15. Trouble is, whenever he turns up, there’s always a mysterious death or two to deal with.
Thankfully, a lifetime spent fixing plot-holes and perpetrating fictional crimes (he worked on The Bill for a month and a half), has equipped Mervyn with the skills he needs to solve any mystery. And with the body count mounting he’d better hurry up or tomorrow’s autograph session will have to be cancelled.
[dcs_darkspliter]
If you’ve ever been to a SF convention you’ll feel right at home at ConVix 15, the scene of the crime in this darkly comic murder mystery. There’s the overpriced bar, the fawning sycophants, the internecine fights, the politics of the autograph queue, and, course, the casual sex. Admittedly, the graphic murders are a little out of the ordinary, but not beyond the realm of possibility.
But this novel isn’t simply a parody of telefantasy conventions and “tatty sci-fi”, it also works as a genuinely impressive whodunnit?. It’s deftly plotted by Nev, with clues placed fairly and ingeniously, and if its twists are clever then its turns are often spectacular. One of the biggest surprises (which I won’t spoil here) is delivered quite brilliantly and the ever increasing list of suspects (including crazed fans, insane stars and bitter crew members) will keep you guessing to the very end.
It’s also very, very funny. Mervyn’s world-weary cynicism in the face of over-eager aficionados and egomaniacal “talent” is delightful, and it’s impossible not to root for him as he navigates his way through an increasingly bizarre and dangerous weekend in a Happy Traveller hotel, searching for clues in much the same way that Ian Levine searched for continuity errors in season 22.
The book also succeeds in fleshing out the, frankly bonkers, Vixens universe. There are extracts from programme guides, panel timetables (Inside the Crab says it all, really) and even the foreword is set a rich metatextual universe; this one features David Quantick reminiscing about writing Death in a Stairwell, a 2007 Vixen Audio Adventure. Many of the characters and tropes that make up the universe will be instantly recognisable to fans of the genre (although they go way beyond the obvious Doctor Who parallels) and a lot of fun can be derived from working out the lineage to many of the references and in-jokes.
Geek Tradegy is the first in a series of Mervyn Stone Mysteries; you can also buy DVD Extras Include: Murder!, set during a homicidal DVD commentary recording, and Cursed Amongst Sequels, which tantalises the reader with the promise of a 21st century Vixens revival. We can only dream.
Given that the books are published by Big Finish, I just hope that a series of audio dramas chronicling the adventures of Mervyn can’t be very far away, with Nicola Bryant as Vanity Mycroft and Nicholas Briggs as the voice of the evil Styrax (think Daleks crossed with KITT out of Knight Rider. If that’s even possible.).
And as for the part of Mervyn – does anyone have Eric Saward’s phone number handy?
