Tuesday, January 28, 2014

Dead Water by Ann Cleeves

Dead Water by Ann Cleeves

Jimmy Perez stopped for breath and looked out to sea. A still, calm day, the light filtered through high cloud so that the water was shiny grey, like metal. On the horizon a bank of fog. In the deep pockets of the long oilskin coat that had once belonged to his grandfather were pebbles the size of eggs. They were round and smooth, and so heavy that he could feel the weight of them pulling on his shoulders. He'd collected the rocks from the beach at Ravenwick, selecting them carefully: only the roundest, the ones that were white as bone.  In the distance, a little way out from the shore, there was a stack of rock shaped like a rough cross, tilted on its side. The calm water hardly broke around it. 

MY REVIEW: 

A journalist Jerry Markham's body is found in a boat by the marina. As Inspector Jimmy Perez is mourning the loss of his fiancee, Detective Inspector Willow Reeves is brought in to investigate the murder.

Markham had been a Shetlander and he had left the place long time ago, leaving behind a scandal which involved young Evie Watt. She is now engaged to a seaman, John Henderson, who is much older than her.

The Procurator Fiscal Rhona Laing who found the body somehow seems to be involved. Jimmy Perez is unable to keep away from the investigations. He goes to Sullom Voe, where Markham was last seen before he was killed. 

The murky secrets come out in the open after another murder occurs. Somehow the conflict seems to be between those who wish to save the island and those who wish to open new industries. There are several undercurrents in the story line which keeps the reader totally involved.

Dead Water is fifth in the Jimmy Perez series but stands alone. The characters are well etched out and the suspense of the killer is wholly maintained till the end. It comes as a surprise to us. Cleeve's language flows very well. Her descriptions of the landscape is lyrical. 

13 comments:

(Diane) Bibliophile By the Sea said...

I like it and would keep reading. HOPE YOU ENJOY IT. Thanks for joining us.

JoAnn said...

Oh, this sounds good. Glad to know it can stand alone!

Paulita said...

Like the detail of the pebbles in the pocket. Here's Mine

Harvee said...

Don't think I've read Ann Cleves, but I think I should!

Catherine @ Book Club Librarian said...

I would keep reading. I visited the Shetland Islands two summers ago and loved its stark beauty, so this book would be a nice reminder of my trip.

My Tuesday post: http://www.bookclublibrarian.com/2014/01/first-chapter-first-paragraph-47.html

grammajudyb said...

I have not read this author either, but I will look for this series. The description of the area is beautiful.

Laurel-Rain Snow said...

Sounds very suspenseful! Thanks for sharing...and here's MY TUESDAY POST

Literary Feline said...

This sounds like a good one, Gautami. I would keep reading based on the intro and your review.

fredamans said...

I've not heard of this series before but it sounds great. Sounds like it is full of excitement and intrigue!
Great review!

Unknown said...

I'm glad you enjoyed it! It sounds great!

Yvonne said...

Sounds like a great read!

Pooch said...

Glad you enjoyed this book. The descriptions are so vivid!

:)

kayerj said...

I like how descriptive it is and the hidden symbolism behind the rocks. nice beginning. kelley—the road goes ever ever on