Marion Todd

I received a copy of this novel from the publisher via NetGalley.

This starts with the apparent suicide of a schoolgirl, but more and more investigations, both into the present and the past are swiftly mixed in: shoplifting, burglary, rape, sextortion, corruption in public office, arson, murder. At one point the heroine Clare realizes she has forgotten all about one of the investigations, and I felt the same. This was very much a police procedural, with Clare and her team pursuing and sometimes discarding successive lines of enquiry. By the end the focus had mostly shifted away from the opening suicide. This was the storyline I felt most invested in, and the 'banter' at the end therefore left a really bad taste in my mouth. I'm deducting a star for it.… (más)

I love Marion Todd. I love DI Clare Mackey and her whole team. I love the setting in Scotland. Her books are a combination of crime, drama, murder and police procedural and she gets it just right with a strong woman protagonist who is anything but perfect. Her support staff, friends and love interest add depth to the story without going off into unnecessary tangents.

One caveat - I could not put it down and read it in one sitting, neglecting sleep for resolution. Many thanks to Canelo and NetGalley for a copy.… (más)

crime-fiction, thriller, suspense, law-enforcement, Scotland, procedural, murder, murder-investigation, unputdownable, Scottish-noir, criminal-acts, detective, friendship, friction, office-politics*****

Scotland or no, the characters in these books are very much true to life. The stresses and strains on their psyche and the devastation to their personal lives reflect the same reality that I've seen here in the US. The other thing about the books is how they draw me in and hold me there to the story from beginning to end (glad I'm retired and can read all night if I want). The case takes a lot of twists and very little bumbling. Little is said this time about Mackay's personal life, and that is good from the perspective of it being well suited as a stand alone. Excellent read!
I requested and received a free temporary ebook copy from Canelo via NetGalley. Thank you!… (más)

I received a copy of this novel from the publisher via NetGalley.

I have read the whole of this series and it has been consistently strong. Here Clare investigates the murder of a local solicitor and wonders if the apparently accidental death of his paralegal's wife might be linked. The balance between the police procedural aspects and the focus on the officers' home lives was good, and (although I have no way of knowing if this is true) the police work read as authentic.

The opening chapters were a little dull and didn't particularly draw me in, but it soon picked up. The identity of the murderer was known from quite early on and then it was more a case of finding evidence for a prosecution, although the paralegal's wife case had more twists and turns.

Also, I totally agree about the correct way to eat a KitKat...… (más)