This isn't the sort of book I would normally read as I find this genre to be too graphic for my liking, but once you get over the fact that the main character works in a mortuary and the bodies are described in detail, it is highly addictive! The author has clearly done her research into the subject and she makes the locations in the story and the professions of its characters to be utterly convincing and realistic.
The main character of Cassie Raven is very well thought out and turns the "detective" stereotype on its head with her goth-like image and law-breaking past. However despite her appearance, the writer shows that Cassie can't be judged by it, with her knowledge ranging from Classical Latin to intimate human biology. Cassie is also made very human by her current and past mistakes and flaws. She is nicely offset by the other viewpoint in the story, that of DS Flyte; a seemingly straight-laced cop from Winchester, and the relationship between them brings a lot of interest to the story.
I thought the storyline itself was going to be very predictable with an obvious "villain", but it throws up some very interesting twists and turns along the way including a slightly supernatural element and revelations which keeps the reader guessing until the very end. I actually couldn't put it down and read about half of it in one sitting!
I can easily see this being the start of a new crime series set in Camden and look forward to seeing more of Cassie Raven in the future!
The main character of Cassie Raven is very well thought out and turns the "detective" stereotype on its head with her goth-like image and law-breaking past. However despite her appearance, the writer shows that Cassie can't be judged by it, with her knowledge ranging from Classical Latin to intimate human biology. Cassie is also made very human by her current and past mistakes and flaws. She is nicely offset by the other viewpoint in the story, that of DS Flyte; a seemingly straight-laced cop from Winchester, and the relationship between them brings a lot of interest to the story.
I thought the storyline itself was going to be very predictable with an obvious "villain", but it throws up some very interesting twists and turns along the way including a slightly supernatural element and revelations which keeps the reader guessing until the very end. I actually couldn't put it down and read about half of it in one sitting!
I can easily see this being the start of a new crime series set in Camden and look forward to seeing more of Cassie Raven in the future!