This was a good crime novel and the series seems promising. It is the first in the series set in the Scottish Highlands featuring DI Kennedy. I could definitely see this as a detective drama on TV, it had that kind of feel to it.
Unfortunately I didn't warm as much as I would have liked to the main detective, DI Kennedy. There was a big issue made about how she's taller than your average woman with big feet, and how she feels uncomfortable with this to the extent that she wears shoes one size too small. I didn't particularly get what this added to her character, if anything it quite annoyed me. She also made some silly decisions when it came to looking after her child which I also felt were not particularly necessary. In this respect she is a fairly flawed character, but maybe this is something that will develop throughout the series. Hopefully I will warm to her more in the next book!
The main story involved boys being lured from their homes to their death. The way in which this was described - with some chapters offering an insight into the killer or the 'watcher's' mind - was extremely chilling and had a good element of mystery. I found that it moved at quite a slow pace, which was appropriate for me. However, in contrast, the resolution at the end happened very quickly and I didn't feel satisfied upon finishing it. Not every element of the crimes was resolved and there seemed to be little explanation as to the why - this may be something to be echoed in future books, but I would have preferred it to have all been resolved in the one book, with only character developments taking place in the subsequent books.
Overall, the two above points were the only negatives of the book and I think that it was generally a good first in the series by Halliday. I would like to read more of his work as I think he has a lot of potential, and clearly a great mind for mystery and suspense.
Thanks to Readers First for a free copy of this book in exchange for a review.
Unfortunately I didn't warm as much as I would have liked to the main detective, DI Kennedy. There was a big issue made about how she's taller than your average woman with big feet, and how she feels uncomfortable with this to the extent that she wears shoes one size too small. I didn't particularly get what this added to her character, if anything it quite annoyed me. She also made some silly decisions when it came to looking after her child which I also felt were not particularly necessary. In this respect she is a fairly flawed character, but maybe this is something that will develop throughout the series. Hopefully I will warm to her more in the next book!
The main story involved boys being lured from their homes to their death. The way in which this was described - with some chapters offering an insight into the killer or the 'watcher's' mind - was extremely chilling and had a good element of mystery. I found that it moved at quite a slow pace, which was appropriate for me. However, in contrast, the resolution at the end happened very quickly and I didn't feel satisfied upon finishing it. Not every element of the crimes was resolved and there seemed to be little explanation as to the why - this may be something to be echoed in future books, but I would have preferred it to have all been resolved in the one book, with only character developments taking place in the subsequent books.
Overall, the two above points were the only negatives of the book and I think that it was generally a good first in the series by Halliday. I would like to read more of his work as I think he has a lot of potential, and clearly a great mind for mystery and suspense.
Thanks to Readers First for a free copy of this book in exchange for a review.