Thin Air: A Shetland Mystery (Shetland Island Mysteries)
2 journalers for this copy...
I first discovered this series via Blue Lightning, which I enjoyed so much that I tracked down the rest of the books at the local library. This is the newest in the series, and I succumbed to temptation and ordered this hardcover online.
The mystery here involves a ghost story - the tale of an island girl who'd drowned nearly a century before. A group of friends visiting the island for the "hamefarin" - the at-home celebration of a wedding that had already taken place elsewhere - includes a woman who's in search of the details behind the story, and another who apparently believes in the legend that sighting the ghost can cure childlessness. But one of the women winds up dead, and Jimmy Perez takes up the investigation.
At this point, he's on the way to recovering from the personal tragedy that derailed him for nearly a year. He finds himself working well with colleague Willow Reeves and with his subordinate Sandy, and is managing to fill his role as stepfather to his beloved Fran's daughter Cassie. But Cassie wants to see the spot where her mother died, and Perez isn't sure he - or she - is quite ready for that yet.
Meanwhile, sightings of the girl-ghost continue - and so do the deaths. There are a number of twisted little subplots here that, once revealed, make a lot of sense, but the way the author presents storylines from different character-viewpoints can be misleading in itself. Some of the characters' actions seemed really strange, too, though Perez suggests reasons - among them, the insular island relationships, which can outweigh considerations of logic.
While this wasn't my favorite entry in the series, I did enjoy the story, and if I found myself more interested in Sandy's research into the 1920s death that sparked the ghost story than in the present-day murders, well, perhaps the author meant us to feel that way {wry grin}.
The mystery here involves a ghost story - the tale of an island girl who'd drowned nearly a century before. A group of friends visiting the island for the "hamefarin" - the at-home celebration of a wedding that had already taken place elsewhere - includes a woman who's in search of the details behind the story, and another who apparently believes in the legend that sighting the ghost can cure childlessness. But one of the women winds up dead, and Jimmy Perez takes up the investigation.
At this point, he's on the way to recovering from the personal tragedy that derailed him for nearly a year. He finds himself working well with colleague Willow Reeves and with his subordinate Sandy, and is managing to fill his role as stepfather to his beloved Fran's daughter Cassie. But Cassie wants to see the spot where her mother died, and Perez isn't sure he - or she - is quite ready for that yet.
Meanwhile, sightings of the girl-ghost continue - and so do the deaths. There are a number of twisted little subplots here that, once revealed, make a lot of sense, but the way the author presents storylines from different character-viewpoints can be misleading in itself. Some of the characters' actions seemed really strange, too, though Perez suggests reasons - among them, the insular island relationships, which can outweigh considerations of logic.
While this wasn't my favorite entry in the series, I did enjoy the story, and if I found myself more interested in Sandy's research into the 1920s death that sparked the ghost story than in the present-day murders, well, perhaps the author meant us to feel that way {wry grin}.
Journal Entry 2 by 
GoryDetails
at Little Free Library, Benson Park - 19 Kimball Hill Rd in Hudson, New Hampshire USA on Saturday, November 14, 2015
GoryDetails at Little Free Library, Benson Park - 19 Kimball Hill Rd in Hudson, New Hampshire USA on Saturday, November 14, 2015
Released 8 yrs ago (11/14/2015 UTC) at Little Free Library, Benson Park - 19 Kimball Hill Rd in Hudson, New Hampshire USA
WILD RELEASE NOTES:
I left this book in the LFL in Benson Park at around 2 on this cold, windy day; hope the finder enjoys it!*** Released for the 2015 World Diabetes Day release challenge. More information at the World Diabetes Day site. ***
*** Released as part of the 2015 E-less release challenge. ***
Great book, with great character development. The mystery keeps you guessing who the killer is throughout, and it continues to add depth every chapter.
