Review: Suspenseful and Moving
Rating: 4 out of 5
Date: 06 1, 2014
“Thursday’s List,” the precursor to this novel, described the growing pains of young attorney Dana Hargrove. In “Homicide Chart,” Dana is a few years older, happily married, and the fond mother of a 2-year-old son. She has become an experienced and much respected prosecutor, who juggles her home life and career adroitly – or so it seems. Unbeknownst to Dana, her live-in nanny, Annika, has a troubled past that she is determined to keep secret. Secrets can be dangerous, as Annika, and eventually Dana, discover.This novel is complicated and sometimes slow-moving. It goes back and forth in time; features a large cast of characters; and describes several different legal cases. It shows the real inner workings of the law: how evidence is built up; how witness testimony is influenced by factors such as gang loyalty or inaccurate perceptions; how cases are argued; and how legal judgments are made. Although it’s sometimes not an easy read, it’s complex and interesting enough to be read more than once.It’s also a suspenseful and emotionally affecting work. I was particularly moved by the struggles of 20-year-old Annika, who had the courage to leave the Netherlands and make a new start in the U.S., only to find herself confronted with a troubling situation she had tried to leave behind.Highly recommended for Kemanis fans and for all readers who like mystery stories with depth.