GRAY’S THE WHITE ANGEL DETAILS CITY’S DARK PAST
It was a crime that shook the streets of Vancouver.
In 1924, a Scottish nanny named Janet Smith was found dead in her employer’s home in the upscale neighbourhood of Shaughnessy Heights. To this day, the truth surrounding Smith’s death remains a mystery.
This real-life crime conundrum is the basis for a new book from multi-hyphenate John MacLachlan Gray. Best known for his acclaimed production, Billy Bishop Goes to War, Gray puts his immense storytelling capabilities to good use with this 296-page book.
Changing the name of the nanny (albeit only slightly) to Janet Stewart, the reader is introduced to the story via the eyes of Ed McCurdy, a struggling poet-turned-journalist who accompanies his pal to the scene of the grisly discovery.
In spite of a bumbling investigation by police and a speedierthan-normal trip through the mortuary and embalmer, which clearly hints at a larger conspiracy or coverup, the Scottish nanny’s death ignited suspicion among various parties in the city.
But suspicion isn’t the only thing it ignites.
Working closely off actual events surrounding Smith’s murder, Gray details the dark forces at work in the city at that time — including, but not limited to racism, the Ku Klux Klan, drug use, suspected sexual escapades among the city’s high society, sinister political agendas and police corruption — all of which, in fact, flared after the crime.
In short, The White Angel doesn’t paint the prettiest picture of our much-beloved city. But, for those willing to wade through the muck, they might just find they’re eager to follow up Gray’s retelling of the murder mystery by delving deep into the history of the crime through old newspaper articles and past publications. What they find may trouble them more than they could have expected.
While at times a tad slow-moving, The White Angel delivers a tale that’s both entertaining and thought-provoking. And it’s sure to leave readers again wondering: what actually happened to Janet Smith?