Cathy C. (cathyskye) -
It seems like a millennium since the last Kincaid & James mystery, but it was only four very long years. I can't tell you how much I enjoyed sinking back into Deborah Crombie's excellent series. A Killing of Innocents is what I've come to expect from Crombie: a compelling mystery guaranteed to test readers' deductive capabilities combined with one of the best ensemble casts in all of crime fiction.
Untangling all the secrets being kept by the dead woman and her circle of acquaintances is no guarantee that readers will be able to solve the mystery and identify the killer. I know that I'd had a couple of warning lights pop up with one of the characters, but-- I'm sorry to say-- I ignored them. This author does an excellent job of distracting me while making the solution to the mystery so logical. If only I'd paid attention!
Why wasn't I paying attention? Because of that world-class ensemble cast, that's why. Most writers-- no matter how talented they are-- have a limited cast of characters; a bit like my own small family which consisted of two grandparents, my mother, and me. A total of four. And that's fine. But there are some authors with wicked skills who can somehow populate an entire village with nuanced characters, characters who have their own lives, their own personalities, their own agendas. The most important skill is not just in creating this village of characters but in eliminating reader confusion. It's great to have so many wonderful characters just as long as readers don't get headaches trying to keep them all straight. Crombie is a magician when it comes to her characters.
If you're in the mood for a first-class mystery populated by characters who come to feel like family, pick up A Killing of Innocents. If you're a character-driven reader and new to the series, start at the beginning with A Share in Death. You're in for a treat, and I envy you for being able to experience it all for the first time.
Here's hoping that it's not another four years before I get to spend time with these characters again.
Untangling all the secrets being kept by the dead woman and her circle of acquaintances is no guarantee that readers will be able to solve the mystery and identify the killer. I know that I'd had a couple of warning lights pop up with one of the characters, but-- I'm sorry to say-- I ignored them. This author does an excellent job of distracting me while making the solution to the mystery so logical. If only I'd paid attention!
Why wasn't I paying attention? Because of that world-class ensemble cast, that's why. Most writers-- no matter how talented they are-- have a limited cast of characters; a bit like my own small family which consisted of two grandparents, my mother, and me. A total of four. And that's fine. But there are some authors with wicked skills who can somehow populate an entire village with nuanced characters, characters who have their own lives, their own personalities, their own agendas. The most important skill is not just in creating this village of characters but in eliminating reader confusion. It's great to have so many wonderful characters just as long as readers don't get headaches trying to keep them all straight. Crombie is a magician when it comes to her characters.
If you're in the mood for a first-class mystery populated by characters who come to feel like family, pick up A Killing of Innocents. If you're a character-driven reader and new to the series, start at the beginning with A Share in Death. You're in for a treat, and I envy you for being able to experience it all for the first time.
Here's hoping that it's not another four years before I get to spend time with these characters again.
