A review by kbranfield
A Dark and Twisted Tide by Sharon J. Bolton
4.0
In A Dark and Twisted Tide, Sharon Bolton's newest addition to the Lacey Flint series, the River Thames is an intriguing and unique setting for a murder investigation. Ex-homicide detective Lacey Flint not only lives on the Thames, but as a member of the Marine Unit, she also works there as well. After she discovers the shrouded remains of a young woman, the subsequent investigation reveals an eerie similarity to previously recovered remains.
With her curiosity piqued by the body she discovered, Lacey tries to remain on the periphery of the ensuing investigation. However, it soon becomes clear that someone is trying to draw her attention to the unnoticed deaths. Unexplained gifts, glimpses of a mysterious swimmer and the blatant display of the latest victim make it obvious that someone wants Lacey involved in the case. So Lacey, along with DCI Dana Tulloch, keep digging for any possible connection between the victims, but fitting together the pieces of this perplexing mystery is virtually impossible.
Lacey is still the fascinating, if somewhat mysterious, heroine that she has always been. She has carved out a quiet life on the Thames and she has become friends with a few of her neighbors, but she still closely guards her secrets. Lacey's romance with fellow detective Mark Joesbury is hindered by his current case which takes him deep undercover, but they do make a little progress during his quick, but meaningful, visits. Her uneasy professional relationship with Dana Tulloch becomes less rocky and they actually work well together once their investigation begins to produce results.
The mystery element of A Dark and Twisted Tide is full of unexpected twists and turns and easily keeps the reader guessing the killer's identity for much of the novel. While I had a good idea that some of the secondary characters were somehow involved in the unfolding story, I could not figure out how or why. The chapters shift between different viewpoints and while interesting, there is little context to fit these different perspectives into the investigation. The pacing is a little slow until the last quarter of the novel and then it rushes at a breakneck speed to a dramatic and very surprising conclusion.
A Dark and Twisted Tide is another superb installment in Sharon Bolton's Lacey Flint series and although it can be read as a standalone, I highly recommend the entire series.
With her curiosity piqued by the body she discovered, Lacey tries to remain on the periphery of the ensuing investigation. However, it soon becomes clear that someone is trying to draw her attention to the unnoticed deaths. Unexplained gifts, glimpses of a mysterious swimmer and the blatant display of the latest victim make it obvious that someone wants Lacey involved in the case. So Lacey, along with DCI Dana Tulloch, keep digging for any possible connection between the victims, but fitting together the pieces of this perplexing mystery is virtually impossible.
Lacey is still the fascinating, if somewhat mysterious, heroine that she has always been. She has carved out a quiet life on the Thames and she has become friends with a few of her neighbors, but she still closely guards her secrets. Lacey's romance with fellow detective Mark Joesbury is hindered by his current case which takes him deep undercover, but they do make a little progress during his quick, but meaningful, visits. Her uneasy professional relationship with Dana Tulloch becomes less rocky and they actually work well together once their investigation begins to produce results.
The mystery element of A Dark and Twisted Tide is full of unexpected twists and turns and easily keeps the reader guessing the killer's identity for much of the novel. While I had a good idea that some of the secondary characters were somehow involved in the unfolding story, I could not figure out how or why. The chapters shift between different viewpoints and while interesting, there is little context to fit these different perspectives into the investigation. The pacing is a little slow until the last quarter of the novel and then it rushes at a breakneck speed to a dramatic and very surprising conclusion.
A Dark and Twisted Tide is another superb installment in Sharon Bolton's Lacey Flint series and although it can be read as a standalone, I highly recommend the entire series.