‘Black’s Creek’ by Sam Millar

Published by Brandon,
25 September 2015.
ISBN: 978-1-84717-528-1

An older man spots the report of a re-opened inquest in the paper, and it takes him back to his teenage years, when he and his friends planned the murder of a man who molested their friend.

This fast-moving thriller begins in the present tense, then takes us back to the teenage Tommy, son of the small-town sheriff, and his two friends. It’s told by Tommy, and Millar has captured the teenage voice and thoughts well, while still giving the reader the chance to see between the lines. Tommy’s father is an Atticus Finch figure, defending law and a fair trial against his own certainty that the obvious perp is guilty, and comes in for criticism from the local papers and community. Tommy himself is a sympathetic narrator, and his friends Horseshoe and, particularly, the loner Brent, are well drawn. The plot holds several nasty surprises, particularly when he falls for the misfit Devlin, and the short chapters keep the pages turning.

An imaginative noir with an unusual narrator.

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Reviewer: Marsali Taylor

Sam Millar is a bestselling crime writer and playwright from Belfast, Northern Ireland. He has won numerous literary awards and his books have all been critically praised.

Marsali Taylor grew up near Edinburgh, and came to Shetland as a newly-qualified teacher. She is currently a part-time teacher on Shetland's scenic west side, living with her husband and two Shetland ponies. Marsali is a qualified STGA tourist-guide who is fascinated by history, and has published plays in Shetland's distinctive dialect, as well as a history of women's suffrage in Shetland. She's also a keen sailor who enjoys exploring in her own 8m yacht, and an active member of her local drama group.  Marsali also does a regular monthly column for the Mystery People e-zine.