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Most Helpful Customer Reviews
7 of 8 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Small Town Mysteries,
By Untouchable (Sydney, NSW Australia) - See all my reviews
This review is from: Blind to the Bones: A Crime Novel (Hardcover)
Murder once again visits the Peak District of Derbyshire near Edendale in the 4th book of this terrific series. The members of the Derbyshire Constabulary, E Division are called on to work the case, although Ben Cooper has been loaned out to the Rural Crimes Team and Diane Fry is investigating a 2-year-old missing persons case, separating the duelling coppers.The story centres around the tiny hamlet of Withens leading both Cooper and Fry there on their separate investigations. The murder victim is a young local man named Neil Granger. Granger is part of a large family that makes up the majority of the residents of Withens. It's Ben's job to interview the residents but like so many isolated close-knit communities they are particularly suspicious of outsiders, and this lot are especially suspicious when it comes to the police. Ben can't help but think they are hiding something but doesn't know what. Meanwhile, there is one old couple in Withens, the Renshaws, who are more than happy to talk. The problem is, the only topic of conversation is their daughter Emma, who went missing 2 years ago. The Renshaws talk of Emma in the present tense, expecting her to walk through their door at any moment, much to Diane Fry's bemusement. Because of Ben Cooper's secondment to the Rural Crimes Team, Diane has had to use the ever hungry and source of numerous lighter moments, Gavin Murfin. Murfin is taking an increasingly prominent role as the series progresses and is a nice counterpoint to Fry's more dour by the book attitude. This series is getting stronger and stronger with each new book and the characters of Ben Cooper and Diane Fry are developing nicely. If you're after an exceedingly enjoyable police procedural, I strongly recommend this one. In my opinion, this is the best of the series so far.
4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Gripping suspense,
This review is from: Blind to the Bones: A Crime Novel (Hardcover)
Two years ago, Birmingham student Emma Renshaw went to catch the train to visit her parents in Withens. However, somewhere en route she disappeared without a clue as to what happened to her. Though most people assume she is dead, her frenzied parents fervently believe she is alive and will come home soon. They live life as if Emma is attending school, keeping her room the way she left it and buy her holiday gifts, and maintain her car. However, murder occurs on the Dark Peak moors near Withens leading to Detective Diane Fry wanting to reopen the cold case of Emma. Meanwhile Diane's peer, Detective Ben Cooper investigates the apparent murder of Neil Oxley, a roommate of Emma's who is also from Withens. The two cases seem to connect, but both detectives struggle with dysfunctional families as the Renshaws refuse to accept their daughter is most likely dead and the Oxleys reject talking to authorities preferring to hide their secrets inside their clandestine clan. This is an exhilarating believable English police procedural that should provide Stephen Booth with a host of new fans. The story line is fun to follow as the two cops struggle independently with non-cooperating people before their inquiries converge. Following the link, they run into even more disagreeable souls. Readers will take great pleasure in the latest Fry-Cooper novel and search for previous books starring these powerful detectives (see BLOOD ON THE TONGUE). Harriet Klausner
3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:
2.0 out of 5 stars
needs pruning badly--to about half as long,
By
This review is from: Blind to the Bones (Mass Market Paperback)
Not many mysteries/police procedurals can sustain 580+ pages: this is definitely not one of the exceptions. Name of the Rose, for example, runs 600 pages. But with that book there's much more than just a mystery--you're being taken to a very unfamiliar world. There's just too much in Blind to the Bones that really does not need to be present--it doesn't add to the story in any way unless what you want is a book that will carry you through a very long plane trip and then you can leave it behind somewhere.
I found here that I wasn't really engaging with any of the characters--there was not anyone I emphasized with. Some books can make up for shortcomings with a sense of an unusual place or setting, so that problems with character development or dialogue can be at least in part overcome by the setting, such as an interesting historical location. But the locations here are not memorable or very interesting. There are too many threads in the book--some are meaningful, some go nowhere--it's not easy to keep track of them. Some books I want to reread within a year or two, others I may want to reread--e.g. a book about sailing in the Outer Hebrides. These I keep. Other books I'm pretty sure I will not want to reread, and unfortunately Blind to the Bones will thus be given to my local library.
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