Friday, June 10, 2011

Review: Among the Departed by Vicki Delaney

Author: Vicki Delany
Publisher Format:Poisoned Pen Press e-book -282 pages
Year of publication: 2011
Subject: cold case crime solving
Setting: Trafalgar, British Columbia
Series: Constable Molly Smith Novels
Genre: mystery- police procedural
Source: Net Galley from Poisoned Pen Press
Rating 3.8 of 5
Recommended? definitely for mystery fans

Constable Molly Smith has matured quite a bit since I met her in the first book in this series last month.This series is going to become one of my favorites.  In this one, Molly and her date- another policeman Adam Toucek - are searching for a lost child in a wooded park with their police dog Norman.  Not only do they find the lost child safe and sound, Norman digs up some more human remains.  When the Medical examiner says the bones have been there at least 10-20 years, the Trafalgar police department must go back into the cold case files to track down who the deceased is, and after that, how he or she got there.

This is a first class who dunnit, with several very interesting characters, plot twists leading us away from the real killer, and delightful relationships among the characters. The ending is a stunner - I just never saw it coming, although I probably should have.  I'm becoming quite fond of this group of characters, and Ms Delany's excellent plotting.  The setting is not as intense as for instance the village of Three Pines in a Louise Penny mystery, but it still sets a delightful background for all the goings on.  I look forward now to reading #2-4 between the 1st and this latest one in the series, if for no other reason than to see how some of the budding but in the background romances progress.

2 comments:

  1. I think I have read something by this author before...and I must say it books right up my alley..have to check this out.

    ReplyDelete
  2. I didn't know Stepakoff had a new book out. I'll be interested in your take on it. Enjoy all your new books, Tina and have a wonderful week.

    ReplyDelete

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