This crime novel which takes place in Shetland is the second Jimmy Perez story.
Apparently the Finns run amuck because of their everlasting dark nights, the Shetlanders do because of their white summer nights.
“It´s the time of year,” he said. “The light nights. It makes us all go a little bit mad.”
During this ´simmer dim´ Jimmy Perez goes to the opening of an art exhibition in Biddista, a small village. The painters are the local celebrity Bella Sinclair and Perez´ newfound love, Fran Hunter who is a very promising artist.
An English guest breaks down over one of the paintings, and when questioned by Perez, he claims he suffers from amnesia. The next day a local farmer finds the Englishman hanging in his shed. Someone has killed him and tried rather inefficiently to make it look like a suicide.
The competitive Inspector Roy Taylor rushes to Shetland from Inverness, and he does his best to unveil the old back story behind the murder before Perez, but he is no match for the local man who is acquainted with everybody in Biddista beforehand and knows how to make them feel comfortable enough to share their secrets.
I liked the first in the series but enjoyed this one even more - though the solution seemed a bit improbable to me.
I bought the book myself, and here is my review of the first in the series, Raven Black.
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10 kommentarer:
This is the book I thought it was! At last I got one!
I very much enjoyed this one, too, though I agree with you about the solution. In my opinion, the next two in the quartet are even better, and the endings more plausible in both cases.
Dorte - Thanks, as always, for this fine review : ). I know what you mean about improbably endings. Sometimes, they really disappoint me. Other times, if the book is otherwise very well-written, or it's an author I love, I forgive the litte improbabilities.
Maxine: when environment and characters are compelling, you can usually forgive a single flaw. And of course I plan to buy no 3 soon.
Margot: it wasn´t a terrible let-down, but she could have ended it in a more likely way.
I thought Raven Black was very good, so I'm looking forward to reading this if it's even better (in spite of the rather improbable ending).
Margaret: it is difficult to say if it is objectively better or it was just because I knew Jimmy Perez better (I love series because I enjoy meeting a well-known protagonist).
Oh yes I have listened to it. Still don't remember that opening though. Now I must find out what Phillip has against the poor woman. I remember the ending as being a bit melodramatic and implausible, but I will read the next one.
I saw the title Raven Black, jumped up and went to my tbr bookshelf - and yes! it's on my bookshelf. So I'm moving that into the "read sooner" pile. The series sounds lovely.
Keep meaning to read her--along with so many others.
Though I've never read any of her books, I had tickets to hear her talk at a local library but unfortunately she got stuck in snow and the event was postponed.
Bernadette: I wouldn´t say the ending is melodramatic, just not as credible as it could have been.
Patti: if you like a remote island setting, she is the thing!
Tracy: I am sorry to hear her talk was cancelled. I would have liked to hear her!
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