Marsali TaylorReseñas

Unusual twist on a crime novel, thoroughly steeped in the Shetland landscape and dialect. The latter can be confusing and although there is a glossary at the end of the book, you may find it more convenient to go online to the excellent Shetland Dictionary!

Good - still enjoying the series

Excellent - reminds me of elly Griffiths, interesting characters, not too gruesome murder. Great shetland setting

If it's true that a Shetlander is a sailor with a bit of land (by contrast with an Orcadian, who's a farmer with a boat), then this book belongs in Shetland. I spent the first while feeling rather seasick but that is the choice of subject matter rather than the quality of the writing. Otherwise an enjoyable and atmospheric read, with convincing characters amongst the Shetlanders, anyway.

Great atmosphere, and the characters are developing nicely. The plot was good, though I did spot the murderer.

I liked this better than the first one as it was a little more land-based (her sailing descriptions are great but I support the RNLI to spare me from traumas like hers). The first one was also a touch too edgy for happy reading - her main character had so many chips on her shoulders she was as prickly as a hedgehog, but there was plenty in it to make me want to read this one, and I'm glad I did. I love the crofting kilted Detective Inspector, and the characters of Rat and Cat. Started the next one within fifteen minutes of finishing this one, which is a good sign!

Galloping coincidences here but I was quite happy to play along. The last chapter, though, or at least the denouement chapter, I found difficult to follow: thought at first it was all a dream sequence and I certainly felt thrown into it. I wondered if there was a bit missing.

A nice continuation of the other books in the series, with just the right amount of clues, background, and relationship-building. And we finally get to learn why the unflappable inspector Gavin, who comes up from Inverness whenever there's a murder in Shetland, wears a kilt. There's nothing wrong with wearing one - in fact, I've yet to see a man of any size and shape whose appearance wasn't improved by one - but it seemed atypical enough nowadays to make me wonder. I'd previously ruled out that it was a political statement, a Columbo-raincoat kind of ploy to make suspects careless, he was on his way to a wedding, his policeman's salary was so meager that he was supplementing by being a tour guide, historical re-enactor, or a stripper, or that he just knew that he looked fine in one and current fashion trends be damned. But if romanticized popular culture has stolen or reinvented a perfectly serviceable and practical style of clothing that supports local weavers and tailors, I fully support his understated decision to steal it back.

I hope there's a followup book soon. I'm finally getting a sense of Shetland geography and phrasing without needing to glance at a map or glossary of dialect terms. And if the next one could let us spend Christmas at Gavin's family farm down south in the Highlands (south, that is, for a Shetlander, waayy north and nearly polar for me), all the better. I'll rustle up some warm tartan woolens and settle down to help them solve another mystery.

I liked the "Trowie Mound Murders" as much as "Death on a Longship", the first in the Shetland mystery series. It's a nicely done narrative, and the characters and setting that I liked in the first book are present in this one. There are nice twists in the mystery to keep one speculating about possible villains, as well as the obligatory unnecessary risks taken by the protagonist that all mysteries seem compelled to have. But I suppose if everyone acted wisely and logically all the time, particularly in fiction, it would be a very dull world indeed.

It's not necessary to have read "Death on a Longship", the first in the Cass Lynch series to follow the plot of this one (the second). You get enough background in context to understand the relationships, but will likely have a better appreciation of subtleties if you do read them in order. There seems to be a romance budding up slowly, but not mutually acknowledged yet. I prefer that to sudden attractions and the plot disruptions to accommodate them, so was very happy with the restraint and even-handling. If Cass went silly for Gavin, the police inspector up from the Highlands, so soon after the events of the first book, I'd think she was an implausible ninny at best and a cardboard character at worst. But I do like Gavin very much, and am quite fine with a feeling of friendship, affection, love, whatever growing between them over time in the series if they wish. And if she doesn't like him after time in the series, I'll be tempted to call her a ninny anyway.

I was absorbed enough in the Trowie Mound world to feel a loss at a particular unexpected death, though the rescue of a kitty or two helped a little. And if a baby cat and a full-grown pet rat could have a strong friendship in the small confines of a boat, surely there's hope for the world. All in all, a good book and recommended for all those who like a mystery with believable likeable characters. I've already bought the next in the series ("A Handful of Ash"), but will use it as an incentive and a reward for finishing other books and tasks waiting for me.

Like mysteries? I know I do. That is what drew me to this book as well as its unique title and storyline. Death on a Longship by Marsali Taylor is a very unique mystery.

Cass is a woman struggling with family issues that have haunted her since her teens. She is forced to face them again when she is made skipper of a longship for a movie production that her father is connected with. As she finds the body of one of the main people on the film crew, she thinks back over the last few weeks including the complex relationships with her father and mother and how in the end everything ties together. Accidents on the set suddenly are not seen as such. Looks from members of the cast take on a different meaning. As Cass finds herself and her father as suspects, she begins to think back on incidents that she had dismissed before. Things are not as clear cut as she had once thought they were. There are many secrets within this production.

I have to admit that I was not too excited about the book as I began reading it. The style is very different than what I'm used to. Ms. Taylor is extremely descriptive which pulled me from the story a few times. I was even thrown off in her manner of writing but eventually found it flowed well. She has the story set at the time of the murder but spends a lot of time in flashbacks. I would say close to fifty percent of the time is in Cass reflecting on the past. That was bothersome at first, but then as the story progressed I saw how it actually benefited it and enhanced the story.

This story is set in Shetland and some of the dialogue is written in the native way of speaking. A few times I had to read out loud to fully understand, but that is me with any book that writes in that manner. There is not a lot of it so I did not spend a lot of time focused on interpretation.

You'll find yourself growing fascinated with the characters and wanting to know more. Even the characters that are on the sidelines but part of the story have lives that draw you in.

Ms. Taylor has a very subtle writing style that pulls you in without you even noticing it. As I said, I didn't like it at first but by the end I was enjoying it. In fact, I can't wait to read her next book.

As the winter approaches and days before the fire appear where you can quietly read a book, consider Death on a Longship if you like mysteries. You might find that you have a new author you'll be following.

Note: This book was provided as part of a book tour with no expectation of a positive review.

I won this in a GOODREADS giveaway.