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Title: The Siren (DC Gary Goodhew Mystery #2)
Author: Alison Bruce
Genre: Fiction/Mystery/Crime
Publication Date: November 19, 2013
Publisher: Witness Impulse, an imprint of HarperCollins
Event organized by: Literati Author Services, Inc.
Synopsis
Sometimes the past just won’t stay buried.
DC Gary Goodhew is on a pub crawl when he smells smoke. He rushes to the scene and finds a raging house fire, too far gone to stop. The blaze leaves two corpses, but a young boy—who was also inside—is now missing.
As the investigation deepens, it becomes clear that the boy’s mother, Kimberley, knows much more than she is letting on. With the clock ticking on a child’s life, Goodhew begins to sift through the ruins of Kimberley’s past—and uncovers an unsettling picture of deceit, murder, and accelerating danger. Fans of Deborah Crombie and Elizabeth George will relish this gripping page-turner.
Kota's Review
Let me start by apologising up front. My heavy schedule and my need for always reviewing blind has again caught me out in reviewing a book that is not the first in a series. I always intend to pre-read the earlier stories, but unfortunately on this occasion, just ran out of time.
So please, let me encourage you to read ‘Cambridge Blue’ Book
1 in the DC Gary Goodhew Mysteries first.
Book 2 sees us following the case involving Kimberly Guyver
and Rachel Golinksi. With a turn of
events Kimberly and Rachel’s past starts to catch up to them. This story has many twists and leads that
keep DC Goodhew on his toes as he goes about working this case.
There are many elements to this story, with characters
intersecting to provide relevant insights.
I found that these links were a little hard to follow, and wonder if it
was because of not having the knowledge of Book 1, however upon reflection, I don’t
think this is the case. While Goodhew
went about the case and following leads as they arose, the author shifted in
tense and perspective, which I think was the cause of confusion for me. This had me suitably distracted while I tried
to follow all of the relationships.
The character traits within this case – particularly Goodhew
and his police colleagues present as complex, but this story (certainly as I read
it as a standalone) didn’t pay these story enough time for me to feel connected
to them all.
The author has the ability to build suspense and mystery in
a way that keeps the pages turning, however, it seemed like it took a long time
before things actually happened. There
is a lot of minutiae in the details but I didn’t feel closer to understanding
the motive or the action.
I think Goodhew is a quirky character who I could grow fond
of, but he hasn’t got me hooked just yet.
Alison Bruce is an author I would like to explore more of, as the tone
of her writing shows quality.
I am going to rate the Siren 3 and a ½ hearts.. and I am going to commit to reading it again, after I have read Book 1, to see if that changes my view. |
Links
Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Kobo | iTunes
About the Author
Alison Bruce is the author of four novels featuring Gary Goodhew, all set in the gothic city of Cambridge.
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