Hmm. I’m not really sure how this one ended up in my library. Probably the result of a super discounted sale purchase or something, as police procedurals aren’t especially, as my regular readers will know, one of my favourite genres. Still, I had high hopes as the star rating (I don’t look at others’ reviews before I read a book) was pretty good and so went into it with an open mind.
It was slow to get started and if I’m honest I almost gave up. It’s interesting as it’s now around a week since I finished it but there really isn’t much of this novel which has stayed with me so I feel like I’m scrabbling around a bit. Maybe that’s my problem with it – it just wasn’t memorable. Manon, the main character, isn’t especially pleasant – she’s self-centred and doesn’t seem to understand what’s going on with her family, making decisions that will affect them all without reference to those she’s supposed to care about.
The plot is convoluted. Far too many coincidences which jarred somewhat and made me question the narrative. And as a police officer who is directly related to a murder suspect, I found it incredible that Manon behaves in such an unprofessional manner, risking not only her own but the careers of her colleagues. I’d have told her to get on her bike! By the end, I really didn’t care what happened to the majority of characters, with the exclusion of Manon’s son, Fly, who she really needs to take better care of since he has already been the victim of multiple terrible circumstances, and her police officer colleague, Dave, who seems pretty much the only truly decent one. Ted Hastings would be incensed!
The Adventures and Musings of Mrs Rodkoff 