escragg92's review against another edition
mysterious
sad
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
thelaurasaurus's review against another edition
4.0
This book isn't your typical crime novel. The main story is interspersed with other tales which all join up at the end - some more successfully than others. I enjoyed the (I guess) ongoing story lines about the detectives family and the happenings in the town. Less successful for me was the romance plot line, which felt a bit thin. I'd like to read more of this series.
myrdyr's review against another edition
2.0
I was enjoying this until Hill wandered off the mystery trail and ended up on the path of cheesy romance writing.
lian_tanner's review against another edition
4.0
This is such an intelligent series - very thoughtful, very different from your average crime novel, with the crimes almost an afterthought sometimes, and the real story going on among Simon Seraiiler's family and friends. Sheer pleasure to read.
lazygal's review against another edition
4.0
I've been enjoying the Simon Serrailler series since I discovered it a few years back in Canada. Luckily, Susan Hill's detective has found a home here in America as well.
As I said in my review of Shadows in the Street, Simon is a lot like Adam Dalgliesh, only with more family. And like Kate Atkinson, Ms. Hill has a number of seemingly unrelated threads going through her mysteries.
The main mystery is the 15-year-old case of the missing Harriet Lowther (interestingly, the jacket cover calls her "Joanne"), whose skeleton was found after a major flood. Nearby another skeleton is found - only this time there's no cold case for a missing person. Then there's his disintegrating relationship with his triplet sister, Cat, upon whom his spring some disturbing family news. There's Lenny, dealing with her partner Olive's continued descent into at-times violent dementia... Jocelyn, recently diagnosed with MND and rapidly deteriorating physically, who needs to decide how her end-of-life care will unfold... and Rachel, with whom Simon falls in love but who is still married to her much older, Parkinson's-riddled husband.
Ultimately, of course, the mystery is solved and the threads tied-in (not up: there's always some room for ambiguity and doors left open for the next installment). While I know that Lafferton is an imaginary town, after reading this series I feel that I should be able to visit there. It's also nice that we spend time with the inner lives of most of these characters, not just the "hero" and criminals. If only I didn't have to wait another couple of years before the next book...
As I said in my review of Shadows in the Street, Simon is a lot like Adam Dalgliesh, only with more family. And like Kate Atkinson, Ms. Hill has a number of seemingly unrelated threads going through her mysteries.
The main mystery is the 15-year-old case of the missing Harriet Lowther (interestingly, the jacket cover calls her "Joanne"), whose skeleton was found after a major flood. Nearby another skeleton is found - only this time there's no cold case for a missing person. Then there's his disintegrating relationship with his triplet sister, Cat, upon whom his spring some disturbing family news. There's Lenny, dealing with her partner Olive's continued descent into at-times violent dementia... Jocelyn, recently diagnosed with MND and rapidly deteriorating physically, who needs to decide how her end-of-life care will unfold... and Rachel, with whom Simon falls in love but who is still married to her much older, Parkinson's-riddled husband.
Ultimately, of course, the mystery is solved and the threads tied-in (not up: there's always some room for ambiguity and doors left open for the next installment). While I know that Lafferton is an imaginary town, after reading this series I feel that I should be able to visit there. It's also nice that we spend time with the inner lives of most of these characters, not just the "hero" and criminals. If only I didn't have to wait another couple of years before the next book...
meggiebennett's review against another edition
dark
emotional
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
3.0
bgg616's review against another edition
4.0
I read most of this on the flight home and finished early this morning when I woke at 3:30 am (adjusting to being back in my own time zone). There were many threads I knew would come together in the end though at the end of the book, not all answers are given.
lisa_parker's review against another edition
dark
mysterious
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
nonna7's review against another edition
4.0
This has to be one of the most interesting and gripping books I’ve read yet. It hasn’t taken long for me to add Susan Hill to one of my must read authors. This book solidifies that even further. I’m still in catch up mode with this author, but I’m closing in quickly! This book has Simon pursuing a cold case. It’s a time of cutbacks
and worries that the Lafferton police station may close, leaving the town with the closest police station 15 miles away. Nobody is going to like that. In the meantime, Simon’s boss is laid up and there is a need for an additional Detective Inspector. However, a suitable candidate can’t be found. When the body of a young girl is discovered washed out of a hiding place after heavy rains and flooding, it is quickly identified as the 15 year old daughter of a local business owner. However, another body is also discovered. That one takes longer, but is soon identified as a Polish au pair who disappeared one day. There are peripheral characters in the book, two of which have a direct connection. I’ll be reading the next book in the series. I wouldn’t be surprised if things come together there, but you never know. Susan Hill often leaves things dangling. After all, isn’t that true of life?