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1 Book I Read: An Empty Death by Laura Wilson
2 Words that describe the book: British Crime
3 Settings where it took place or characters you met:
1. The setting is London in 1944.
2. Detective Inspector Ted Stratton, his wife Jenny and other members of the family.
3. The suspect person.......a man of many names and occupations.
4 Things you liked and/or disliked about it:
1. I liked the skill with which the author created the mood and atmosphere of the time. Four long years of war have left Londoners exhausted : like everyone Ted & Jenny struggle to maintain a semblance of normal life amid chaos, the fear of doodlebugs, evacuated children and rationing and long queues for basic necessities. As Jenny says "....the resentful welling inside, born of so many years of not minding or complaining, of being patient, of making do and hiding one's feelings......it's not fair, it's not bloody fair"
2. I liked the way two seemingly separate plotlines developed . The story begins with DI Stratton rescuing a young woman from a bombed house who will later be taken in by Jenny and her sister Doris because she's apparently suffering from shock and declaring her husband to be an imposter.
At the same time a doctor is found dead on an abandoned site - murder is suspected.
3. I liked that the very 'suspect person' is not an unknown. The reader is involved in his story from the beginning and it's what the purpose of his actions is all about that provides the mystery.
4. I liked that this book was a great deal more than a whodunit - the theme that links all the storylines is different issues concerning identity and memory.
5 Stars or less for your rating?
This one gets 4.5 Stars from me. It's British Crime at it's very best with a brilliantly portrayed historical background. Laura Wilson has written several other books including Stratton's War which won the 2008 Ellis Peters Historical Award.
Suspense/Thriller Challenge
Typically British Challenge
Sounds really good! I love atmosphere - when it's good you feel you're in the story.
ReplyDeleteWow, this sounds like a really good one! Definitely putting it on the list. Thanks for the great review.
ReplyDeleteHave a peaceful Easter.
It is a really good one... I can recommend if you like good crime fiction.
ReplyDeleteThis does sound like a cut above your average crime book!
ReplyDelete