17 September 2020.
ISBN: 978-1-4722-7758-9 (HB)
Australian
detective Dana Russo is already having a bad day struggling with her past when
a homicide’s called in: a stabbing in a store, with the perp in custody. Except
that this perp is like none she’s ever met, a silent man who’s apparently disappeared
off the face of the land for fifteen years.
This compelling
Australian PI is a stunning debut. We’re drawn straight away into Dana’s world:
she’s introspective and hag-ridden by a past we’re given only flashes of, but
we also admire her determination that her odd suspect, Nathan Whittler, who isn’t
going to be convicted of a crime he didn’t commit. Nathan is also
sympathetically drawn, and the main narrative force of the book is the interviews
between him and Dana, where she’s driven to give out her own inner pain in
order to draw him out. However the moving intensity of this duel is balanced by
the wonderfully-drawn cheerful banter of Dana’s colleagues as they do the
‘leg-work’ outside, interviewing other suspects, like the dead man’s wife and
Nathan’s unpleasant brother. There’s Mike, the family man, Bill the boss who’s
an A-team fan, and the fantastic Lucy, whose riposte to a recalcitrant lawyer
made me want to high-five her. The plot’s cleverly spun, the solution
satisfying, and just for once I forgive the slightly cliff-hanger ending,
because it promises a sequel. I can’t wait.
A taut,
page-turning Australian PI which balances an intense duel between the main
detective and the suspect with well-described side investigation and a lively
cast of characters.
------
Reviewer: Marsali Taylor
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.
Click on the title to read a review of her recent book Death on a Shetland Isle
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