Title: The Second Rule Of Ten, A Tenzing Norbu Mystery
Author: Gay Hendricks
Publisher: Hay House Visions
Genre: murder mystery with a metaphysical touch
The Second Rule of Ten is my kind of book. It’s a great story about a delightful character and has a metaphysical element that gives it extra depth and makes it stand out from the crowd. As a murder mystery, it has all the elements required to make it a good example of the genre. The protagonist is an ex-cop, now a private investigator, and what makes it unusual and adds a slight complication to the story is that he is also an ex-Tibetan monk.
As a practicing Buddhist, he evaluates his actions in the light of his Buddhist faith, the essentials of which are to, as much as possible, do no harm, treat others with compassion and check your mind for the source of your troubles. While he searches for the killer of a movie director, we also follow his inner development in relation to his father and his relationship with women.
The second rule of ten, is the rule he wants to remember which is basically not to jump to conclusions or make assumptions but to look with a open mind and see all possibilities, something that is a great deal easier when you’re someone who meditates, and something that is very useful for a detective. Hence Ten, is good at what he does.
Ten’s character is endearing and very well drawn, I loved him as soon as I saw the way he treated his cat. All the characters, including the cat, are carefully rendered and their motivations are clear. I really liked the way Tenzin grows as a person due to his rigorous self-examination and the psychological insight of the Buddhist teachings.
The plot is well paced with breathing spaces so you aren’t faced with sleepless nights, and the tension builds to a very satisfying conclusion in a book that, despite the murders, was a joy to read.
The author is skilled at his craft in all areas. I could not find fault with this book at all and I recommend it to all who love a murder mystery, especially if they have an interest in Buddhism or the Tibetan situation. Perhaps my favourite paragraph is where he stands onTibetan soil for the first time and feels how the culture, the land and the Buddhist faith merge there in a very deep and powerful way. The sentiment was beautifully written.
5 stars
Description
Ex–Buddhist monk and ex–LAPD officer turned private eye Tenzing Norbu is back with a new case, a new love, and a whole new set of problems in this fresh installment in The Tenzing Norbu Mystery series.
In The Second Rule of Ten, Norbu investigates the unexplained death of his former client Hollywood mogul Marv Rudolph and searches for the sister, lost during World War II, of wizened Los Angeles philanthropist Julius Rosen. With two cases and an unforeseen family crisis that sends him back to Tibet, Ten finds himself on the outs with his best buddy and former partner, Bill, who is heading the official police investigation into Marv’s death. Cases and crises start to collide. When Ten mistakenly ignores his second rule, he becomes entangled in an unfortunate association with a Los Angeles drug cartel. As he fights to save those he loves, and himself, from the deadly gang, he also comes face to face with his own personal demons. Working through his anger at Bill, doubts about his latest lady love, and a challenging relationship with his father, Ten learns to see the world in a new light—and realizes that in every situation the truth is sometimes buried beneath illusion.
