Release Date: 10/04/14
Publisher: Head of Zeus
SYNOPSIS:
It is a year since her father's death, but Stella Darnell has not moved on. She still cleans his house every day, leaving it spotless as if he might return. Terry Darnell was Detective Chief Superintendent at Hammersmith police station, and now Stella has discovered an unsolved case in his darkroom: a folder of unlabelled photographs of deserted streets. The oldest photograph dates back to 1966. To a day when Mary Thornton, just ten years old, is taking her little brother home from school in time for tea. That afternoon, as the Moors Murderers are sent to prison for life, Mary witnesses something that will haunt her forever. As Stella inches closer to the truth, the events of that day begin to haunt her too...
REVIEW:
To be honest I read Lesley’s debut last year, the Detectives Daughter and whilst I wasn’t fully enamoured with the principle character as I couldn’t really get a handle upon her, I thought that there was enough there for me to give the second book a go.
Unfortunately for me, the problems that I had with the original remained in this the second book in short the principle character again. That’s not to say that the story wasn’t carefully constructed, it was and the tale did generate some solid leads alongside twists but at the end of the day, when I can’t stand a lead character I have a hell of a job keeping going. All round, I’ll probably give Lesley’s next book a miss however if the character does become more amenable to the reader I’ll definitely pick it up.
Release Date: 01/05/13
Publisher: Head of Zeus
SYNOPSIS:
Kate Rokesmith's decision to go to the river changed the lives of many. Her murder shocked the nation. Her husband, never charged, moved abroad under a cloud of suspicion. Her son, just four years old, grew up in a loveless boarding school. And Detective Inspector Darnell, vowing to leave no stone unturned in the search for her killer, began to lose his only daughter. The young Stella Darnell grew to resent the dead Kate Rokesmith. Her dad had never vowed to leave no stone unturned for her. Now, thirty years later, Stella is dutifully sorting through her father's attic after his sudden death. The Rokesmith case papers are in a corner, gathering dust: the case was never solved. Stella knows she should destroy them. Instead, she opens the box, and starts to read.
REVIEW:
I love a detective story that not only thrills but gives the reader the chance to follow from the very beginning, so whilst most that I read are set in the early days of a case, it was a great change to see an author tackle a story from a cold case perspective.
This story from Lesley is one that reveals itself little by little allowing the reader the chance to absorb the clues alongside the tales principle character. Its cleverly plotted, brought together with solid prose and has everything going for it but one thing in my opinion.
I just couldn’t’ get a handle on the principle character Stella Dornell, there was just something that didn’t work for me or allow me to feel that I was alongside a fully breathing character as we worked the case together. This for me is a deal breaker with any book, as after all if you can’t get on with the lead character is sadly really does make the book drag as well as leaving you feeling numb when the danger happens. All round it’s a solid enough title however if, like me you require a character that you love to spend time around, then this may not be the book for you.
