 |
| Goose Spit from above |
New Books
"Alex and Leslie Twisden said they would pay any price to have children. But some costs are too high.
Adam and Alice Twisden know they're not like other kids.
Other kids don't get locked in their rooms at night.
Other kids don't hear strange noises outside their door.
Noises which are getting louder..."
Just Finished
"I've read three other books by British author Susan Hill, tow of her Gothic horror stories, including The Woman in Black and also one of her Simon Serrailler mysteries. The Vows of Silence is the 4th book in this series. As you can see I've not read them in any particular order so far but even though there are elements of Serrailler's past that crops up in this story, it didn't affect my understanding or enjoyment of the story.
Someone or maybe more than one person is shooting people in the town of Lafferton. Women are the targets, killed either close up by a handgun or from a distance with a rifle. DCS Simon Serrailler heads up this investigation. There are a number of side stories also flowing through this entertaining story, some related to Simon, some not. Simon's sister and family have returned from a year of living in Australia and something is wrong with her husband. Simon's father has returned from a vacation and surprises Simon with a lady friend! One of Simon's ex's Jane Hamilton also shows up, called back by a close friend who is dying of cancer. And one Helen Creedy, widowed, is persuaded by her daughter to finally start dating, a fact that is frowned upon by her son, who has become a strident religious fanatic.
The story is told from many perspectives, some involving the investigation and others the events that affect lives. We also meet the killer and find out facts about his life, what makes him / her become the killer. The story moves along in a meandering, slow but interesting fashion. Serrailler becomes just one of many main characters who wanders through the midst of these story lines.
The characters are all interesting and well-crafted. Serrailler is sometimes frustrating, dealing with issues from his past, especially involving his father. He has trouble coping with this new woman living in his "mother's" house. The case itself is interesting but we spend more time with the special response unit than with Serrailler when it comes the actual investigation. In fact, the daily humdrum of investigating the crimes is not as important as the story itself and the final resolution is more due to a sudden inspiration than clues gathered from forensics and those sorts of things.
But that doesn't matter really in this story. It's just excellent to read a well written, entertaining mystery story. I will obviously continue my exploration of Susan Hill's writing. I have a few more of her books on my shelves. (4 stars)"
Currently Reading
"It was a winter morning in 1978, that the body of a young barmaid was discovered in the snow banks of a Scottish cemetery. The only suspects in her brutal murder were the four young men who found her: Alex Gilbey and his three best friends. With no evidence but her blood on their hands, no one was ever charged.
Twenty five years later, the Cold Case file on Rosie Duff has been reopened. For Alex and his friends, the investigation has also opened old wounds, haunting memories-and new fears. For a stranger has emerged from the shadows with his own ideas about justice. And revenge.
When two of Alex's friends die under suspicious circumstances, Alex knows that he and his innocent family are the next targets. And there's only way to save them: return to the cold-blooded past and uncover the startling truth about the murder. For there lies the identity of an avenging killer..."
My Ongoing Look at the Mystery Genre - American Cops, Part 9
 |
| J. T. Ellison |
"This was my first experience with J.T. Ellison. The story, which features Dr. Samantha Owens, a pathologist from Nashville, started off a bit slowly and I wasn't sure I'd like it. Samantha has experienced a personal tragedy in her life, something that is only alluded to, but it has made her OCd (hand washing and more hand washing) and also a personal wreck. A family friend, the mother of her first love, has asked her to come to Washington, DC to examine the remains of her son as Emily thinks there is more to his murder than the police seem to think. During this trip, Sam has to confront her past and her demons as she is dragged into a possible military cover-up and other related murders. Once the story gets going, it's hard to put down, lots of tension and well-described action. The story moves along at high pace and I grew to like the main characters, even Sam, with all of her issues. The story resolved itself very nicely, although in some ways I had hoped for a different personal result, but ultimately it was satisfying. A pleasant surprise. She has written others in the Sam Owens series and also other series, including those featuring Sam Owen's police officer friend, Taylor Jackson, which I think I'll also try. Worth reading for sure. (4 stars)"
"Dr. Samantha Owens is starting over: new city, new job, new man, new life. She's trying to put some distance between herself and the devastating loss of her husband and children—but old hurts leave scars.
Before she's even unpacked her office at Georgetown University's forensic pathology department, she's called to consult on a case that's rocked the capital and the country. An unknown pathogen released into the Washington Metro has caused nationwide panic. Three people died—just three.
A miracle and a puzzle…
Amid the media frenzy and Homeland Security alarm bells, Sam painstakingly dissects the lives of those three victims and makes an unsettling conclusion. This is no textbook terrorist causing mayhem with broad strokes, but an artist wielding a much finer, more pointed instrument of destruction. An assassin, whose motive is deeply personal and far from understandable.
Xander Whitfield, a former army ranger and Sam's new boyfriend, knows about seeing the world in shades of gray. About feeling compelled to do the wrong thing for the right reasons. Only his disturbing kinship with a killer can lead Sam to the truth…and once more into the line of fire."
"Dear Dr. Owens,
If you are reading this letter, I am dead and I would be most grateful if you could solve my murder…
Forensic pathologist Dr. Samantha Owens thought life was finally returning to normal after she suffered a terrible personal loss. Settling into her new job at Georgetown University, the illusion is shattered when she receives a disturbing letter from a dead man imploring her to solve his murder. There's only one catch. Timothy Savage's death was so obviously the suicide of a demented individual that the case has been closed.
When Sam learns Savage left a will requesting she autopsy his body, she feels compelled to look into the case. Sam's own postmortem discovers clear signs that Savage was indeed murdered. And she finds DNA from a kidnapped child whose remains were recovered years earlier.
The investigation takes Sam into the shadows of a twenty-year-old mystery that must be solved to determine what really happened to Timothy Savage. Nothing about the case makes sense, but it is clear someone is unwilling to let anyone, especially Samantha Owens, discover the truth."
d. What Lies Behind (2015).
Well, there you go. In my next entry I'll highlight her Taylor Jackson series. Enjoy the res of your week.
No comments:
Post a Comment