Hemlock Bay is the fifth in the author’s historical crime series featuring amateur detective Rachel Savernake. The publishers are keen to stress the bHemlock Bay is the fifth in the author’s historical crime series featuring amateur detective Rachel Savernake. The publishers are keen to stress the books can be read in any order and it’s true you don’t need to have read all the previous books in the series to enjoy this one. (I’ve only read books three and four.) There are passing references to previous cases (but they don’t amount to spoilers) and to Rachel’s past but, as it happens, she remains a bit of an enigma to even keen followers of the series.
Just what was it about her childhood growing up on the remote Gaunt Island as the daughter of the infamous Judge Savernake that has made her so impenetrable, has given rise to her sudden changes of mood and occasional bursts of anger? All we do know is that it’s inspired a liking for puzzling mysteries – the more impenetrable the better – and a burning passion to see justice done. If that means being a little bit ruthless, employing a good helping of subterfuge or stepping a teeny bit outside the letter of the law – well, the end justifies the means surely?
Rachel may seem a little unapproachable but that doesn’t mean she lacks for admirers, notably crime reporter for the Clarion newspaper, Jacob Flint, although he fears he may have a rival in Inspector Oakes of Scotland Yard. And she has inspired the utmost loyalty in the other members of her household – the Truemans – who act less as servants and more as companions, and as assistants in her crime-solving activities.
I don’t know about you but the name Hemlock Bay gave me negative vibes from the start, hemlock being a deadly poison. Although created as an upmarket resort, there’s something not quite right under the surface. Perhaps it’s the stories of wreckers luring sailors onto the rocks that surround the bay in olden times or a recent tragedy that took place. Or perhaps it’s the fact it’s a place where people can indulge in activities they wouldn’t want made public. Whichever, it’s not long before deaths start occurring, the suspects pile up, alibis are tested, timelines are calibrated and possible motives explored.
Fans of ‘Golden Age’ crime mysteries will love the intricate plot, the murders that seem impossible to have been committed and the familiar tropes of the genre such as the gathering together of all the suspects to reveal the solution. Oh, and the surprise you weren’t expecting – except you were expecting it because there’s always a surprise you weren’t expecting in this sort of story. The cluefinder at the end of the book lists 47 hints in the text that point to the solution. I spotted a couple of potential clues but was way off when it came to working out their relevance. Luckily, Rachel Savernake is on hand to piece it all together for us. Until then, sit back and enjoy being completely bamboozled....more
You. Yes, you reading this review. How do you fancy a murder mystery where the story is frequently interrupted by a case study, a questionnaire, a defYou. Yes, you reading this review. How do you fancy a murder mystery where the story is frequently interrupted by a case study, a questionnaire, a definition of a term or a musing on the history of the genre? Or where the author addresses you directly, telling you what you’re thinking at any particular point. Or admits that the next few paragraphs aren’t going to be particularly interesting. Or makes a point of drawing attention to the fact the narrative has switched from first person to third person or, wait for it, to first person plural. We’re not sure, are we?
Assuming you haven’t stopped reading by now, does this all sound… a) Clever? b) Too clever by half? [Choose one option only]
If you leave aside all the discursive elements, the plot is actually a fairly conventional whodunnit set in a community cut off from the outside world and generously populated with characters who have both motive and opportunity to commit a murder. It’s set in 1975 which means conveniently no internet or mobile phones. There’s even a final theatrical gathering together of all the suspects before the culprit is revealed, although perhaps you won’t be surprised that this doesn’t provide all the answers. I suspect the author was chuckling away to himself as he wrote the final paragraph. This reader had a rather different reaction.
West Heart Kill is likely to divide readers. Some will find it refreshingly original, others utterly infuriating. I was somewhere in between....more
Cabaret Macabre is the third book in the author’s series of ‘locked room’ mysteries featuring illusionist and private detective Joseph Spector. Don’t Cabaret Macabre is the third book in the author’s series of ‘locked room’ mysteries featuring illusionist and private detective Joseph Spector. Don’t worry if you haven’t read the two previous books – Death and the Conjuror or The Murder Wheel – because Cabaret Macabre can definitely be enjoyed as a standalone. Plus the good news is that although there are references to events in the earlier books, these are not spoilers so you could still go back and read them.
Marchbanks, the country home of Sir Giles Drury and his wife Lady Elspeth, makes the perfect location for a murder mystery. Set in large grounds, there’s a lake, a boathouse and a bedroom in which a previous (and unsolved) murder took place. There’s even a housekeeper who gave me Mrs Danvers (from Daphne du Maurier’s Rebecca) vibes. As Spector remarks, ‘It was a place of secrets… Secrets, and death’.
Perhaps the best way to give you an idea of the complexity of the plot is this quote from Inspector Flint who for much of the time is just as baffled as the reader. ‘The whole thing feels like a jigsaw with all the wrong pieces. They should fit, but they don’t.’ But don’t worry, although even Spector acknowledges the challenge, you just know he’ll be able to unravel all the threads to reveal the full picture… eventually. ‘A puzzle. An enigma. A conundrum. But never impossible, Flint. Nothing is impossible.’
When it comes to inventive – and, yes, macabre – ways for people to meet their end, Cabaret Macabre absolutely delivers with scenarios worthy of an Agatha Christie or Dorothy L Sayers crime novel including, of course, the obligatory ‘locked room’ murder.
I’ll say it now, don’t even attempt to work out who did it, why they did it and how they did it because the effort will make your brain spin. Just sit back and enjoy the ride and wait for Spector to explain it all at the end. But give yourself a pat on the back if you spotted any of the clues (although helpfully the author does occasionally point you in their direction) but award yourself a ‘How clever am I?’ prize if you managed to work out their relevance. The barometer anyone?
Cabaret Macabre is another fiendishly intricate and skilfully plotted murder mystery that fans of Golden Age crime will absolutely love....more
Under the Banner of Valor is the fifth book in Gary Corbin's crime series featuring rookie cop, Valorie Dawes. In fact, that's not quite correct becauUnder the Banner of Valor is the fifth book in Gary Corbin's crime series featuring rookie cop, Valorie Dawes. In fact, that's not quite correct because Val is no longer a rookie, although some of her fellow police officers still treat her as one. I think Under the Banner of Valor could be read as a standalone but then you'd miss out on seeing how Val's character has developed over the series and learning about the experiences earlier in her life that have given her such a determination to tackle violence against women.
Skilled in martial arts and a keen runner, Val's someone you don't want to mess with. She's smart but she's not infallible and sometimes her forthrightness puts others' backs up. She has short shrift for inefficient, lazy or downright incompetent officers and unfortunately she encounters her fair share of them while working on cases which initially seem to have no connection. Plus misogyny is not yet dead in the Clayton police force. Fortunately, she now has the lovely Gil Kryzinski to support her, although it's taken a bit of time for her to be able to truly trust another person. (I'll whisper so Val can't hear: I have a bit of a crush on Gil.)
The author has a knack of incorporating contemporary issues into the plot of his novels. Previous books have tackled political corruption, sex trafficking and right wing extremism. This time it's campaigners against abortion and the shady world of incels.
We're introduced to the sniper attacking abortion clinics early on although his actual identity is not revealed, we just know him as Stafford. For much of the book he's one step ahead of the police partly because of his meticulous preparation for the attacks and partly because they're missing some crucial links between this and another case. A rather pathetic individual, Stafford is fuelled by a determination to prove himself to the other members of his incel group whose doctrines appeal to his feelings of rejection and sense that he's been short-changed in life through no fault of his own.
Another thing you can rely on in one of the author's crime novels is meticulous detail about police procedure and the step-by-step process of investigating a crime: narrowing down suspects, cross-checking alibis, interviewing witnesses, identifying connections between the victims, trawling social media for background information on suspects. With her regular partner absent because of personal issues, Val teams up with another female officer although it turns out they have very different approaches when it comes to interrogating suspects.
The tension builds as the book progresses becoming a breathless race against time and involving some narrow escapes for both Val and those close to her.
If you’re looking for a skilfully crafted, exciting police procedural with a strong female character, then Under the Banner of Valor will tick all your boxes. And if you're already a fan of the series, the author reveals there's another book on the way....more
Alan Johnson moved from writing award-winning memoirs to writing crime fiction in 2021 with the publication of The Late Train to Gipsy Hill, a book I Alan Johnson moved from writing award-winning memoirs to writing crime fiction in 2021 with the publication of The Late Train to Gipsy Hill, a book I very much enjoyed.
In the first half of this third book in the series, we travel back to 1999 to meet the young Louise Mangan, then a Detective Constable. Despite being obviously capable, she is experiencing the persistent and ‘casual’ misogyny that pervaded the Metropolitan Police at the time. (Many would argue it still does, and this is picked up again in the second part of the book.) Louise is frustrated at being sidelined from major operations and having her suspicions that the man arrested for a series of assaults on women may not be the culprit. Louise decides to pursue her own enquiries but the success of a major police operation to close down a drug smuggling operation sees her moved off the case despite, in her mind, there being plenty of loose ends still to be tied up.
One of the interesting things about this part of the book is how much that we now take for granted in police investigations was in its infancy in 1999. For example, the DNA database was still regarded as ‘nascent technology’ and DNA samples were not routinely checked. And the Metropolitan police were only just beginning to use electronic forms of communication, in the face of some resistance.
The second half of the book moves us on twenty years, to 2019. This is where I came a little unstuck because, although I own a copy of the second book, One of Our Ministers is Missing, I haven’t yet read it. Between the first and this third book, Louise Mangan’s career has obviously progressed significantly. There have also been big changes in her private life since 1999. The latter go pretty much unexplored with some surprising omissions. The misogyny Louise experienced in the first part of the book, although less widespread, is still there and, mirroring recent events in the Metropolitan police, there are officers whose conduct really should mean they have no place in the police force. Louise is also frustrated about the Met’s record on tackling violence against women and girls, again reflecting contemporary concerns.
The author really ups the twists and turns of the plot, and the thriller element in the final quarter of the book. Louise’s persistence – and some intelligence from an unlikely source – eventually leads to a group of dangerous criminals being brought to book and a longstanding mystery being resolved. And perhaps never believe what you’re told unless you’ve double-checked it, even triple-checked it, is sage advice? Louise also discovers startling evidence of an operation sanctioned at the highest level which raises the question: can the end ever justifies the means?
Death on the Thames is another well-crafted police procedural that left me hoping Louise can be persuaded against retiring for a little while longer....more
Al’s career as an ‘interloper’ has been governed by a set of self-imposed rules that have seen him successfully occupy a number of empty properties anAl’s career as an ‘interloper’ has been governed by a set of self-imposed rules that have seen him successfully occupy a number of empty properties and leave without their owners ever knowing he was there – or so he thinks. However, a single breach of one of his rules – that he always works alone – proves a costly mistake, threatening to bring the whole edifice tumbling down. The location from which he’s writing his account of events is a sign of how badly things went wrong. (Think Kind Heart and Coronets but without the potential death sentence.)
Teaming up with three other ‘interlopers’ – Jonny and sisters, Em and Elle – Al’s persuaded they really need to discover the person responsible for the compromising position in which they find themselves. It turns out their situation is more precarious than they realised and there is potential danger from many directions, including the menacing individual they nickname Mr Bowling Ball. Soon Al, Jonny, Em and Elle find themselves in a world of financial shenanigans and international espionage. By the end of the book you may find yourself knowing more than you ever imagined about offshore trusts, unless of course you already possess one.
I loved technology wizard Jonny who’s almost umbilically connected to his laptop, has a wardrobe consisting solely of T-shirts with quirky slogans and who can secrete a microphone in the most unlikely places. Em and Elle I did find a little bit interchangeable although they both displayed a healthy dose of chutzpah.
Told in conversational style, Al’s self-deprecating humour runs through the book and there are some great puns. (You’d expect nothing less from an author who also writes jokes for a living.) My favourite was ‘The camera is going to ruin my life. I am literally Canon fodder.’ I also loved some of the set pieces such as when Em and Al brazenly crash the opening of a ultra hip boutique.
Al comes across as confident, even slightly cocky, and he can certainly create an intricate life story that’s almost completely untrue. However, as the book progresses we begin to appreciate that it’s a bit of a facade and that perhaps his ‘interloping’ isn’t as much a lifestyle choice as he’d like us to believe but the symptom of a rather rootless existence. But even when your luck seems to have finally run out, never underestimate the kindness of half an orange KitKat.
There’s a more serious aspect to the story as well. Al’s position mirrors that of many young people these days who find themselves homeless, not necessarily sleeping rough, but sofa-surfing or living with their parents because they cannot afford to rent or buy a home. Okay, so Al’s sofa-surfing is done on other people’s sofas without their knowledge but at least he’s careful not to leave any crumbs or move your favourite coaster. And, in case you weren’t aware of them before, the book introduces us to the existence of ‘poor doors’ and even ‘poor floors’.
Although the book didn’t have quite the outrageously audacious ending I was hoping for, A Beginner’s Guide to Breaking and Entering is a thoroughly entertaining crime caper and tremendous fun....more
I joined George Cross’s legion of fans when I read the previous book in the series, The Monk. All the things I loved about him then are evident again I joined George Cross’s legion of fans when I read the previous book in the series, The Monk. All the things I loved about him then are evident again in The Teacher: his dogged determination, his truthfulness and his amazing observational and deductive skills.
I like how the author, Tim Sullivan, presents a neurodivergent character in a positive way, emphasising his unique abilities as well as his challenges, such as dealing with his father’s unexpected decision to take a foreign holiday. George’s relationship with his father is one of the gentle joys of the book, as is George’s friendship with local priest, Stephen.
I was pleased when DS Josie Ottey’s patience with her mother was exhausted and she returned to work earlier than expected because she and George make a great team. Which is more than can be said for the detective George is initially paired with – DI Ben Warner. Misogynistic dinosaur is the phrase that comes to mind. I hated his prejudiced and dismissive attitude towards George and was glad when he was forced to confront the consequences of his actions. He’s not even a good detective, leaping to conclusions, relying on his supposedly unerring ‘gut instincts’ and ignoring inconvenient facts in his haste to close a case. It’s a good job George is there to fill in the gaps. As DCI Carson says to Warner, ‘When something occurs to George, that things aren’t right, nine out of ten times he’s right’. As it turns out, this is one of those nine times.
The Teacher is another skilfully crafted crime novel but it’s definitely not ‘cosy’. As well as being an intriguing mystery, it deals with serious issues such as ‘county lines’ drug dealing, physical and sexual abuse, organisational corruption and addiction....more
I haven’t read Death and the Conjuror, the first book featuring illusionist turned sleuth Joseph Spector, so waiting for him to appear in this one wasI haven’t read Death and the Conjuror, the first book featuring illusionist turned sleuth Joseph Spector, so waiting for him to appear in this one was like awaiting the start of the main act. Actually I’m being rather unfair to young lawyer and amateur magician. Edmund Ibbs, who carries a good deal of the first part of the book. I found him a really engaging, sympathetic figure although, as the book progresses, you learn that not everyone may be exactly what they seem. What, even Edmund? Well, he does find himself in a rather incriminating situation…
A theatre makes the perfect setting for a murder mystery because it’s all about artifice, make believe and playing a part. Add set, lighting and costume changes and you create situations designed to confuse, amuse, shock or surprise. And none of the audience can see what’s going on backstage whilst a performance is taking place.
Illusionist Joseph Spector possesses Sherlock Holmes’s observational ability plus a magician’s knowledge of techniques with which to distract an audience, techniques which, as it turns out, are equally useful when trying to commit a murder and, importantly, get away with it. Or, even better, frame someone else for it. In fact, Spector regards a crime as being much like a magic trick, as ‘a complex network of deceptions’. Inspector Flint’s approach, which Spector rather disaparagingly describes as ‘making the facts fit the solution’, provides a counterpoint to Spector’s lateral thinking and sparks of genius. As Spector boasts, ‘I can spot an inconsistency like no man on earth’. And, boy, can he.
There were lots of things I loved about the book, such as the character names that were so unusual I was convinced they must be anagrams. Or the chapter near the end which invites the reader to put all the facts together (apparently all ‘in plain sight’) and come up with a solution. And, as the solution is revealed, the footnotes directing you back to the page on which a relevant piece of information appeared. Or to be more accurate, the pages on which the pieces of information you totally overlooked appeared.
Never mind rotating on a Ferris wheel, my head was spinning by the end of the book such is the intricacy of the plot and the number of red herrings and false trails the author has subtly inserted into the story.
The Murder Wheel is a skilfully crafted and very entertaining crime mystery that will have you scratching your head whilst speedily turning the pages to find out what happens next. Definitely one for fans of ‘Golden Age’ crime fiction....more
The Mystery of Yew Tree House is the ninth book in Lesley Thomson’s ‘The Detective’s Daughter’ series featuring cleaner turned amateur detective, StelThe Mystery of Yew Tree House is the ninth book in Lesley Thomson’s ‘The Detective’s Daughter’ series featuring cleaner turned amateur detective, Stella Darnell and her partner, tube driver Jack Harmon. Although the book could be enjoyed as a standalone there’s a lot of background information about Stella and Jack’s personal and professional history for readers new to the series to absorb, as well as some references to past cases. I’ve only read one other book in the series, The Playground Murders back in 2019, so it took me a little time to refamiliarise myself with past events and the relationships between returning characters.
At one point, a character remarks to Stella, ‘I can’t see the attraction of holidaying in a village. They are described as idyllic, but they are places of poison. Behind the facade of a pond, a green, a war memorial, lies cruelty and violence’. Too right. In fact, Bishopstone seems a peculiar place for Stella and Jack to have chosen as a holiday destination since the area holds unpleasant memories for both of them.
Stella and Jack have reached a turning point in their relationship with Stella, in particular, concerned about the prospect of them becoming a permanent family unit. Given the resilience she has shown in other situations, I thought her worries about whether she possessed suitable parenting skills were misplaced. Having said that, perhaps Stella was right to worry because Jack’s seven-year-old daughter, Milly, proves a bit of a handful, determined single-handedly to track down the murderer. Oh Milly, if only they’d paid more attention to you!
The story moves between the present day and a timeline which starts in 1940. I particularly enjoyed the past timeline and would have been happy to have had more of this. I thought it was clever to have the start of the mystery be in wartime, a time when people were displaced, families were often separated, ordinary citizens were armed and trained in how to kill, and the blackout was the perfect cover for illicit activities. I was particularly fascinated to learn about preparations put in place in the event of Britain’s occupation by the Nazis.
The Mystery of Yew Tree House is a skilfully plotted crime novel with plenty of twists and turns, false trails and surprise reveals. If you guessed all of the latter, you’re a genius....more
The savage killing of Hedy Pavlou is an unspeakable act. The woman charged with her murder, her mother-in-law Zina Pavlou, protests her innocence but The savage killing of Hedy Pavlou is an unspeakable act. The woman charged with her murder, her mother-in-law Zina Pavlou, protests her innocence but since she speaks almost no English she cannot be understood and is effectively silenced. She feels powerless but that’s a situation she’s experienced before in her life.
For Eva, the translator assigned to Zina’s case, initially the job is just some useful extra income. But increasingly she finds herself moved by Zina’s plight, abandoned by her son and her family back in Cyprus. Because Eva knows what it is to feel alone. Soon, merely translating the questions Zina is asked and Zina’s responses to them doesn’t seem enough, particularly as it becomes clear that Zina doesn’t really understand the consequences of being found guilty of the crime. Zina believes she is innocent and all the evidence to the contrary isn’t going to change her mind. So much so, that when offered a possible way out, she rejects it. Her sole wish is to be reunited with her granddaughter, Anna, the only person who has shown her any affection since she came to England.
Given Eva’s role is to speak on behalf of another, it’s ironic that her relationship with her husband, Jimmy, has descended into one in which thoughts and feelings are no longer expressed. Their long walks talking over plans for the future have fallen by the wayside and given way to meals eaten in virtual silence. Because of their different working patterns, they’ve become like ships that pass in the night with no opportunity to talk – to really talk – about the significant thing that has happened in their life. This is increasingly so as Eva becomes progressively more involved in Zina’s case. I found I became just as much invested in Eva’s and Jimmy’s story as I did in Zina’s.
The way the story unfolds means I found myself constantly revisiting the question posed in the book: is Zina a victim or a killer? Could it be possible for both to be true? When we eventually discover what happened on the night of the murder, I think I found my own answer to that question. Even when events earlier in Zina’s life are revealed, I believe you would have to possess a heart of stone not to be moved by the final chapters of the book.
Such is the gripping nature of the story, The Unspeakable Acts of Zina Pavlou is a book I could have easily devoured in a day if it weren’t for annoying things like having to eat and sleep. The fact that it’s inspired by a true story made it even more compelling, and ultimately tragic. ...more
The Monk is the fifth book in the author’s series featuring DS George Cross of Avon and Somerset Police. I haven’t read any of the earlier books in thThe Monk is the fifth book in the author’s series featuring DS George Cross of Avon and Somerset Police. I haven’t read any of the earlier books in the series but the fact I really enjoyed it means it can definitely be read as a standalone. Having said that, I think it would be great to read the series from the beginning to witness the development of Cross’s character and his professional partnership with fellow DS, Josie Ottey.
The quote by Stephen Fry on the front cover describes Cross as ‘the perfect defective’ and in many ways he is. He’s precise, logical, persistent, meticulous and sees patterns in things that others miss. He’s become good at observing individuals’ gestures, patterns of speech and facial expressions in order to determine whether they are telling the truth. ‘He had learned how to read facial expressions in his typically thorough way… For him it was an acquired skill, like a second language.’ But Cross’s blind spot is judging others’ emotions and for this he relies on Ottey. Theirs is a really successful symbiotic relationship and I liked the mutual understanding that has developed between them. And since George often takes things literally, it provides Ottey with opportunities for some gentle teasing.
The search for a motive is at the forefront of Cross and Ottey’s investigation. It involves piecing together myriad fragments of information about Brother Dominic’s former life in an effort to work out why anyone would want to kill a monk and, just as importantly, why now? The book’s intricate plot meant I suspected just about everyone and was wrong on each occasion. The notes I kept while reading the book is largely a list of characters with the question ‘red herring?’ alongside their name, the answer invariably turning out to be, yes. The author keeps the reader guessing until almost the last page. It probably won’t surprise you that it’s Cross who eventually uncovers the evidence that identifies the culprit and that all important motive, even if it does turn the investigation on its head. It’s that nagging doubt that he just can’t ignore.
Lovers of police procedurals will enjoy the scenes describing the interview of witnesses, the search for forensic evidence and the perusal of CCTV, phone records and social media. Possibly the only unrealistic element is the amount of police resource that seems to be available to deploy to the case, but this is fiction after all.
I have no experience of working or living with a neurodivergent person so it’s difficult for me to judge how well George Cross represents a person on the autistic spectrum but I liked the fact his different way of looking at the world is shown to be fundamental to his success as a detective. It’s a positive not a negative, and I admired that. I also found it touching to see his attempts to ‘train’ himself in the interpersonal skills that do not come as naturally to him as to others. For example, remembering to ask Ottey’s first question when interviewing a witness or suspect, ‘Would you like a drink?’.
The Monk is a skilfully crafted and ingenious crime novel with a really engaging protagonist that will keep you turning the pages. George Cross has a new fan....more
Sepulchre Street is the fourth in the author’s historical crime series featuring Rachel Savernake. It’s a series I only discovered when I read the preSepulchre Street is the fourth in the author’s historical crime series featuring Rachel Savernake. It’s a series I only discovered when I read the previous book, Blackstone Fell.
Rachel Savernake is not so much a private detective as a personal detective pursuing investigations that spark her interest. As she herself admits, ‘It’s the thrill of the chase. I yearn for it like an addict craves the needle’ and her favourite pastime is ‘Asking what if?’ But it’s not just any old crime that attracts her: her taste is for the ‘exotic’.
The author teases us by continuing to hold back information about Rachel’s past growing up on the remote island of Gaunt. (Some readers may find this frustrating but I find it tantalising.) What we do know is that she is a very wealthy young woman. However, her early life remains shrouded in mystery. She zealously guards her privacy and is a formidable adversary. Beware what she carries in that glittery evening bag! She’s incredibly well read, resourceful and imperturbable in even the most fraught situations, although, at times, her lack of fear appears to some to verge on recklessness. In fact, she’s just supremely confident she’ll be able to find a way out of any situation.
The members of Rachel’s household – Martha Trueman, Martha’s brother Clifford, and Clifford’s wife Hetty – are devoted to her. Although performing the role of servants – housekeeper, cook and chauffeur come bodyguard – it’s clear they’re the closest Rachel has to a family and may know more than they’re letting on about her past. Rachel is particularly good at utilising their various talents as part of her investigations whether that’s gathering gossip or carrying out a little subterfuge. Crime reporter, Jacob Flint, is once again involved in the story. It’s fairly obvious he has a huge crush on Rachel. He himself admits that from the moment of their first encounter she has fascinated him ‘to the point of obsession’.
The author describes Sepulchre Street as ‘as much a thriller as a detective story’ and the story certainly involves some dramatic scenes, often involving poor Jacob who seems to make a habit of being in the wrong place at the wrong time. There’s also a returning character who’s not your common or garden villain but performs the role of shady behind-the-scenes manipulator.
Rachel’s attempts to discover the reason behind the grisly death of Damaris Gethin, carried out by Damaris’s own hand, involve a number of other characters and plot lines which attract the spotlight for much of the book. Some of these plot lines incorporate quite contemporary themes. Of course, Rachel, who possesses observational and deductive skills to rival Sherlock Holmes, arrives at the answer to the mystery well before everyone else, including, I suspect, most readers. In fact her methodology – ‘I simply follow an idea until I find something that proves that I’m wrong’ – has a distinctly Holmesian flavour.
Sepulchre Street will appeal to fans of classic crime fiction (think Agatha Christie and Dorothy L. Sayers) and those who enjoy the challenge of unravelling an intricate plot. A neat touch is the addition of a ‘cluefinder’ at the end of the book (apparently all the fashion during the ‘Golden Age of Murder’ between the two world wars) in which the author identifies all the clues you very likely missed....more
Cut Adrift is the second book in the series featuring self-confessed adrenaline junkie Jen Shaw, the sequel to On the Edge which was a Sunday Times CCut Adrift is the second book in the series featuring self-confessed adrenaline junkie Jen Shaw, the sequel to On the Edge which was a Sunday Times Crime Book of the Month. I don’t think it’s essential to have read On the Edge to enjoy Cut Adrift but it would probably help to understand the cause of the fractures in the Shaw family, the impact of which forms a secondary, albeit minor, plot line. The latter – a wrangle over the sale of the family home in Cornwall – felt like a distraction to me but might have more significance for those who’ve read the first book.
The plot of Cut Adrift is inspired by the very contemporary issue of the smuggling and exploitation of refugees. The author takes her time to build up a picture of the desperate situation faced by people – often women and children – forced to flee war-torn countries such as Libya and Syria. The dramatic prologue brilliantly brings this to life. Such people are easy prey for smugglers and people traffickers but can also be used as cover by those with more sinister motives. Having made it across the Mediterrean to the island of Malta, they face long waits to have their asylum claims processed, in the meantime being placed in crowded camps with limited access to medical care. And the influx of refugees is causing problems for Malta as well with rising anti-migrant sentiment. I think we can all call to mind parallels with the situation closer to home.
Cut Adrift focuses on a small group of refugees, including Nahla, a friend of Jen’s mother Morwenna. A journalist and activist, Nahla has been forced to flee Libya with her two daughters, Aya and Rania. (The author does a terrific job of conveying the trauma of such an experience through the character of Aya.) Unfortunately, whilst Nahla thinks she may have reached safety, that’s not the case. She’s witnessed something that’s placed her in danger, but what exactly is it?
The death of Nahla trailed in the blurb doesn’t take place until around a third of the way through the book but from that moment on the thriller element really comes to the fore in a series of dramatic scenes that sees the very particular skills of Jen and her mother put to the ultimate test.
Jen finds herself once again in the company of Nick Crawford whom she met in the first book. Although attracted to each other, Jen is frustrated by Nick’s reluctance to talk about his work. As she says at one point, ‘I was sick of lies and secrets and uncertainty. Sick, sick, sick of them.’ She starts to find out more when there occurs what I like to term a ‘Casablanca moment’ – as in “Of all the gin joints in all the towns in all the world,she walks into mine” – but what she discovers doesn’t necessarily put her mind at rest. Who is this man who can seemingly adopt multiple identities? Is he ever really himself?
Jen is a brilliant character. She’s fearless, independent-minded, tough, determined but quite solitary and introspective. When we meet her at the start of the book she’s attempting to rein in her wilder instincts for fear of hurting others and trying to leave behind what she describes as ‘the madness of last summer’ when she’d lurched from one crazy night to another. (Those who’ve read the first book have the advantage over me as far as the cause of this is concerned.) Jen’s the sort of woman who when told to do something, including for her own safety, is likely to do the exact opposite. It’s this that makes her such a great protagonist of a thriller such as Cut Adrift.
A third book in the Jen Shaw series is promised in 2024 which is just as well because, appropriately given Jen’s love of climbing, Cut Adrift ends on a tantalising cliffhanger....more
A Winter Grave is set in Scotland but it’s not a Scotland we would recognise. The year is 2051 and Scotland has achieved independence and rejoined theA Winter Grave is set in Scotland but it’s not a Scotland we would recognise. The year is 2051 and Scotland has achieved independence and rejoined the European Union. However, at the same time, the effects of climate change on the world have become all too obvious. Whilst parts of the world are suffering extreme heat, prompting the migration of millions of people from Africa and Asia to Europe, great swathes of Scotland are now under water due to rising sea levels caused by the melting of the Greenland ice sheets and the country now has the climate of northern Norway.
As Brodie investigates the death of a man found frozen in the ice of a snow tunnel, it becomes clear his enemy is not just the person or persons responsible for the man’s death but the weather as well. Ferocious storms have become a frequent occurrence for the residents of Kinlochleven, resulting in power cuts and the loss of communications with the outside world for days at a time. Venturing out into a particularly violent storm, Brodie witnesses the extreme weather conditions for himself. ‘He seemed to be driving headlong into the gale. Hailstorms flew out of the darkness like sparks, deflecting off the windscreen… He could barely see the road ahead of him, hail blowing around and drifting like snow on the recently cleared tarmac.’
Alongside an absorbing and action-packed crime story, and the depiction of the potential impacts of climate change on the world, is Inspector Cameron Brodie’s deeply personal story, told through flashbacks to 2023. Brodie hasn’t long left on this earth but in the time remaining he wants to lay to rest the ghosts of the past, attempt a reconciliation and, perhaps, receive forgiveness. ‘It wasn’t until now, with his own death imminent, that he had been moved, finally, to drag all the skeletons from the closet, and lay them out to be judged.’ It’s a story of love, loss and sacrifice and I found the end of the book intensely moving.
For those who like action, there’s plenty of it and for those who like intrigue, there’s plenty of that as well. There’s even a role for future technology the prospect of which might either thrill you or appall you depending on how you feel about flying in a pilotless plane or living in a 3D printed home. Add to this a central character prepared to give his all in one last fight and you have a totally gripping crime thriller that is chilling in more ways than one. This is the first book I’ve read by Peter May but it definitely won’t be the last....more
I've read a quite a few of Gary Corbin's novels including the book that preceded this one, A Better of Valor, the third in his crime series featuring I've read a quite a few of Gary Corbin's novels including the book that preceded this one, A Better of Valor, the third in his crime series featuring rookie cop Valorie Daws. Mother of Valor can definitely be read as a standalone because the author includes key details of previous events in Val's life. In fact, certain plot lines in the book relate back to her childhood experiences.
For Val, her mother is the woman who abandoned her and her brother, Chad, the woman who failed to believe Val's version of an event that took place when she was thirteen, and the woman who has made no effort to contact them since. In fact, Val wonders if her mother is even still alive. It turns out to be much more complicated than that. The reader learns, well before Val does, that there is something much more sinister about Val's mother than just the fact she abandoned her husband and children. It injects a real sense of tension and unease into the story.
Val's family history becomes entwined with the investigation into the activities of far right extremist groups who exist in a shadowy world and are prepared to manipulate others to achieve their aims. As the book progresses, the reader knows Val is about to learn some unpleasant truths about her mother and at the same find herself on the front line in some dangerous situations - and faced with some difficult choices.
Although courageous, resilient and highly competent in her professional life, Val's past experiences have left her vulnerable in other respects, fearful of physical relationships. Up until now, that is, because she is in the first tentative stages of a relationship with Gil Kryzinski, her former partner/boss. Gil is a wonderful character and I loved the tender, undemanding way he approaches their relationship.
In case you think this is all getting a bit lovey-dovey, I can reassure you Mother of Valor has an exciting, fast-moving plot involving political intrigue, corruption and some really ruthless, unhinged individuals. It all feels scarily realistic and contemporary. And there are some breathless 'race against time' scenes towards the end of the book in which Val and her police colleagues confront the individuals behind a despicable plot that threatens many lives.
If you're looking for a skilfully crafted police procedural with a strong female character, then Mother of Valor will tick all your boxes....more
Set in the 1930s, Skelton’s Guide to Blazing Corpses sees Arthur Skelton, assisted by his trusty clerk Edgar Hobbes, juggling the defence of Tommy ProSet in the 1930s, Skelton’s Guide to Blazing Corpses sees Arthur Skelton, assisted by his trusty clerk Edgar Hobbes, juggling the defence of Tommy Prosser, accused of the murder and immolation of vacuum cleaner salesman Harold Musgrave, with a number of other cases. One of the joys of the series is the glimpses of these cases whose unlikely subject matter, such as the difference between ‘knickerbockers’ and ‘plus fours’, turn out to be loosely based on actual cases (as the Author’s Note reveals). I particularly liked Arthur’s joy at being able to utter the word ‘lavatory’ in open court – not once but twice – in relation to another case.
Fans of the series will be delighted by the return of characters from the previous books, such as Skelton’s cousin and prolific correspondent, Alan, who along with his sister Norah, travels the country in a caravan spreading ‘the joy of Jesus’. What’s particularly clever is the way the author uses Alan’s experiences to highlight the impact of the Depression on ordinary people. It’s a time of low wages, traditional industries closing down, ill health caused by poor housing, and families struggling to put food on the table. So completely different from now then…
I was also overjoyed by the return of Rose Critchlow now working as an articled clerk for the solicitors who provide most of Arthur’s work. During her trip to Heidelberg in Germany to secure a vital piece of evidence she witnesses the first signs of the malevolent influence of the Nazis that will eventually culminate in the outbreak of the Second World War.
It’s not all doom and gloom though because one of the lovely features of the series is the humour, whether that’s Edgar’s newly acquired obsession with Czech cubist furniture design, the secret of the perfectly pressed trouser or the humiliation of a pompous opponent by Arthur’s formidable wife, Mila. Arthur and Mila’s affectionate banter is a lot of fun too.
After an exciting and dramatic conclusion to the case of the blazing corpse, the end of the book sees Arthur rather disillusioned with the justice system and the inequality he witnesses on a daily basis. Will the man the newspapers have dubbed ‘The Who Refuses to Lose’ give up? I hope not.
Skelton’s Guide to Blazing Corpses is a delightful, ingenious historical crime mystery, and a great addition to the series....more
I only discovered the DI Barton series when I joined the blog tour for the previous book, The Fire Killer, which was book five. Now we’re at book six I only discovered the DI Barton series when I joined the blog tour for the previous book, The Fire Killer, which was book five. Now we’re at book six and what may be the last outing for DI Barton although you never know what the New Year might bring. (In fact, the author is embarking on a new crime series set in Norfolk, an extract from which is included at the end of the book.)
As in The Fire Killer, I enjoyed the glimpses into Barton’s home life. It’s his family that keeps him grounded, especially his wife Holly. However, the run-up to Christmas sees him more conscious than ever of the toll his work takes on him, and on them: the long hours, the missed family events, those late night phone calls, the dangerous situations he may be confronted with.
The book’s structure follows the pattern of the previous book opening with a dramatic scene whose relevance will take some time to be come clear. From that point on the story switches between Barton’s investigation into a series of assaults on women by a perpetrator who may have adopted a seasonal disguise but is definitely not the bringer of festive greetings, and the first person narrative of The Santa Killer. We know a few details about their background, witness their actions and the impulses that drive them but we don’t know their identity. But when we find out, that should be it shouldn’t it? Think again.
The Fire Killer took place against the backdrop of the Covid-19 pandemic and the impact that lockdown had on people. The author incorporates a range of social issues into The Santa Killer including mental illness, marital breakdown and financial hardship, the sort of stresses and strains that can bring out the worst in people but perhaps should also be treated with compassion. Through Barton’s eyes we also get an insight into the pressures on the criminal justice system and its inability always to deal appropriately with vulnerable individuals.
Barton adopts his customary painstaking approach to the investigation, forced to carry out much of the legwork himself because there are simply no other resources available. However, when he is able to use some of his old team, he’s great at encouraging ideas, welcoming thoughts about different possible angles and, of course, recognising the value of the hunch. ‘Good coppers had hunches. That was why they were the best. Hunches didn’t help prosecutions, but they kept you in the game. They kept you focused. Any break might be a small one. You needed to be ready and looking.’
Talking of being ready and looking, as I read The Santa Killer I carefully made a list of possible suspects – it turned out to be a long list – but, no doubt to the author’s delight, I had to cross through each and every name on it. Yep, he fooled me with an ingenious addition to the narrative.
The Santa Killer is a cleverly constructed, pacy and engrossing crime mystery. I shall be sad to say farewell to DI Barton and his team – especially the banter between Barton and Sergeant Zander – but I’ll look forward to reading the author’s new series, this time starting from the beginning....more
Blackstone Fell is the third book in Martin Edwards’s Rachel Savernake series. I haven’t read either of the earlier books in the series – Gallows CourBlackstone Fell is the third book in Martin Edwards’s Rachel Savernake series. I haven’t read either of the earlier books in the series – Gallows Court and Mortmain Hall – but I don’t think it is essential to have done so in order to enjoy Blackstone Fell. If anything waiting for the first appearance in person of Rachel Savernake, having had snippets of information about her from other characters, only increased my curiosity. And wasn’t it worth the wait because she makes a fascinating central character, a sort of female Sherlock Holmes (but without the pipe).
Rachel is a rich young woman whose early life is shrouded in mystery (although it will be more familiar to readers of the earlier books). As Rachel admits, she loves the thrill of the unexpected. ‘Puzzles, mysteries – the more outlandish, the better.’ She guards her privacy with ‘a ruthless zeal’ and is a formidable adversary. The members of Rachel’s household – Martha Trueman, Martha’s brother Clifford and Clifford’s wife Hetty – are devoted to her; not so much servants as a ‘tight-knit cabal’. Rachel is good at utilising their talents as part of her investigations whether that’s gathering gossip or conducting a little subterfuge.
I confess it took me a while to familiarise myself with the different inhabitants of Blackstone Fell and understand the layout of the village. (The book contains a map but this wasn’t included in my advance digital copy.) Safe to say there are the usual features of small village life: gossip, petty rivalries and tall stories exchanged at the bar of the public house.
The book has a number of different strands including those inexplicable disappearances from Blackstone Lodge, efforts to expose a medium who is preying upon the loved ones of the deceased and a series of deaths from natural causes (or were they?) at a local sanatorium. Throw in some religous zealotry, infidelity, poison pen letters, financial skulduggery, greed and thwarted ambition, and you have a heady mix all set against the backdrop of a remote location. ‘The brooding moors, the deadly marsh, Blackstone Leap.’
Blackstone Fell contains many of the elements of classic crime fiction including a denoument at which, with all the suspects gathered together, Rachel reveals the solutions to what turn out to be more than one mystery. A neat touch is the addition of a ‘cluefinder’ at the end of the book (apparently all the fashion during the so-called ‘Golden Age’ of detective fiction) in which the author identifies the pages on which clues appeared. Well done if you spotted any of these because most of them passed me by, but then I don’t have the observational skills, breadth of knowledge or deductive ability of Rachel Savernake.
Blackstone Fell will appeal to fans of classic crime fiction (think Agatha Christie and Dorothy L. Sayers), those who like to be immersed in the milieu of an earlier age and who enjoy the challenge of unravelling an intricate plot....more
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