In this third book in the 'D.C. Morgan' series, the police detective investigates a drowning. The book works fine as a standalone.
*****
Welsh Detective Constable Ffion Morgan and English Detective Sergeant Leo Brady - who've become romantic partners - work on opposite sides of Llyn Drych (Mirror Lake), which straddles the border between Wales and England. Morgan and Brady are in different police forces, but work on the same cases when criminal activity spans the divide.
This story involves three criminal investigations that turn out to have connecting threads.
𖦹 When an attractive real estate agent named Natasha Brett is found dead in an overturned kayak, D.C. Ffion Morgan gets the case. Morgan learns that Natasha was on a 'company weekend' with several work colleagues, all of whom claim they got drunk at a local nightspot and have no idea what happened to Natasha.
𖦹 A series of burglaries in a ritzy cul-de-sac called The Hill is assigned to D.S. Leo Brady. The break-ins seem odd because all the homes have security systems and the booty is helter skelter, with most of the valuables being left behind. Leo suspects the housebreaker is looking for something specific.
While Leo is investigating the robberies on The Hill, his social climbing ex-wife Allie, who's solidly middle class, is DESPERATELY trying to ingratiate herself with the socialites on The Hill. Allie's ploys are both cringeworthy and amusing.
𖦹 Ten years ago, on Valentine's Day, Stephanie and Peter Carmichael were brutally stabbed in their home. A man named Karl Munson was convicted of the double murder, but later exonerated.
The hosts of a true-crime podcast called 'Without Conviction' are re-investigating the Carmichaels' homicide, and calling for the public to help. Soon enough, the case lands on the desk of the police cold case squad.
Listeners across the country are mesmerized by the ''Without Conviction' podcast, and this includes P.C. Ffion Morgan.
As evidence accumulates in each of the three investigations, it becomes clear there are commonalities among the real estate agent's murder; the string of burglaries; and the 10-year-old homicides. This results in a tug-of-war between Ffion, Leo, and their respective police departments, but everyone manages to work together.
As all this is going on, Ffion is trying to purchase a house; preparing for her daughter Seren to go off to college; and taking care of her flatulent, but lovable, rescue dog Dave.
For his part, Leo is tussling with his former spouse Allie about their 7-year-old son Harris. Though Allie is happily re-married, she resents Leo having a girlfriend, and tries to prevent ANY relationship between Ffion and Harris. In one droll scene, Harris asks his dad if Ffion lives in a box, because his mother told him Ffion's a tramp. 😊
Though the novel has a lot going on, it's easy to follow and kept my attention. Props to author Clare Mackintosh for masterful plotting.
As an added bonus, MacIntosh includes a list of Welsh words with a pronunciation guide, which adds to the fun. Here are some examples of place names:
Llyn Drych (h-lin dree-ch) - Mirror Lake
Cwm Coed (koom koyd) - Woodland
Pen y Ddraig (pen uh thraig) - Dragon's Head
Brynheulog (brin-HAY-log) - Sunny Hill
Y Llew Coch (uh h-loo koch) - Red Lion
Y Llew Coch (The Red Lion Pub)
I listened to the audiobook, narrated by Joe Eyre, Chloe Angharad Davies, and Penelope Rawlins, who do a fine job.
Thanks to Netgalley, Clare Mackintosh, and Highbridge Audio for a copy of the book.
Rating: 4 stars
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