Salt Lane
By William Shaw
Published by Riverrun Books (3 May 2018)
I received an Advance Reader Copy from the publisher
Publisher’s description
SHE ALWAYS WENT TOO FAR
DS Alexandra Cupidi has done it again. She should have
learnt to keep her big mouth shut, after the scandal that sent her packing - resentful
teenager in tow - from the London Met to the lonely Kent coastline. Murder is
different here, among the fens and stark beaches.
SHE WAS THE ONE WHO FOUND THE KILLERS
The man drowned in the slurry pit had been herded there like
an animal. He was North African, like many of the fruit pickers that work the
fields. The more Cupidi discovers, the more she wants to ask - but these people
are suspicious of questions.
AND NOW IT WAS KILLING HER
It will take an understanding of this strange place - its old
ways and new crimes - to uncover the dark conspiracy behind the murder. Cupidi
is not afraid to travel that road. But she should be. She should, by now, have
learnt.
I raced through Salt Lane, from beginning to end. Yet again, as with The Birdwatcher, I was totally mesmerised by the quirky characters, chilling setting and emotional plot.
Everything about this book, and William Shaw's stunning writing, is excellent. The dialogue, in particular, is so realistic that it brings each character to life and drives the plot forward at a cracking pace. The setting is stark and desolate, yet the descriptions of the coastline, marshes and fens are so vivid, providing a strong sense of place and an air of mystery.
William Shaw covers some dark topics and contemporary issues with a splash of humour and plenty of sensitivity. This character-driven crime novel follows on from The Birdwatcher (which was a standalone), but this is the start of a new series. I don't think there's a need to read The Birdwatcher first (other than to gain some background into Cupidi and her daughter).
I loved The Birdwatcher, but now love Salt Lane even more.
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