Review: Gripping from start to finish...
Rating: 5 out of 5
Date: 05 21, 2014
Crimson Shore sees a new departure for this author, who has with her previous books made an impact with cross-genre crime fiction. However, in this new series of procedural crime novels the focus is more on the dynamics of an active crime office, and the back room banter between close knit colleagues allows a fascinating glimpse into the pressures they face, not just in their daily work, but also within their personal lives.When a series of unexplained dead bodies start to show up on the peaceful island of Anglesey in North Wales, the Bangor CID team, headed by DI Amanda Gold, have the devil’s own job in trying to keep one step ahead of a murderer who leaves virtually no evidence behind. With precious little to go on, DS Dara Brennan and DS Kelly Jones are left struggling, not just with a series of complex murder cases but also with their growing attraction to each other. As with any new series there is much to take in, the mechanism of a bustling CID office and the repartee between colleagues is done with a realistic understanding of the vagaries of police hierarchy, however, it is the journey into the mind of a killer where the story really starts to bite.Placing a series of gritty crime novels in this peaceful corner of North Wales is an inspired choice of location, and this quiet, or maybe not so quiet little island really comes to life under the watchful eye of this talented author. However, don’t be fooled by the idyllic setting, as this story is by no stretch of the imagination either tranquil or cosy crime; there is a brutal killer on the loose and as the hard hitting violent behaviour thumps you into taking notice, very soon you start to jump at shadows and you see evil in every hidden corner.I read Crimson Shore over the space of twenty four hours as I couldn't tear myself away from it and was gripped by the sheer competence of an author who leads you gently by the hand into the presence of pure evil, and believe me, to have a safe pair of hands to hold in this novel is very comforting indeed.I am sure that this is the start of a commendable crime series and I am already eager to catch up with DI Amanda Gold’s CID team in the, hopefully, not too distant future.