Elizabeth Haynes wrote the first draft of Under a Silent Moon during NaNoWriMo (National Novel Writing Month), and if this is the result of doing so, I think I may be in for this year. Her mystery thriller is her third book, but it is the first in a series of novels to star DCI Louisa Smith, and I am on the lookout for when the next one will be published.
This is one of the mysteries where the key players’ lives are a major part of the book, much like the Gemma James/Duncan Kirkwood novels. While some like their mysteries to focus exclusively on the crime at hand and revolve around nothing else, I like seeing more depth to my characters, and this certainly delivers. There are so many rich characters throughout from DCI Louisa Smith (Lou) to her subordinates and, of course, the potential suspects in the murder of Polly Leuchars.
This is the first major investigation that Lou has headed, and it’s a doozy. Not only was Polly brutally murdered in the cottage where she lived, but her across the street neighbor has apparently committed suicide by driving her car into a quarry the same night. With the neighbor’s kitchen covered in blood, it seems likely that this is a cut and dry case, but nothing is ever that easy.
Throughout the book, you feel as though there may have been a previous novel in the series, as there is so much mention of Lou’s previous relationship with a subordinate (who was a peer at the time), but you haven’t missed out on anything. The tension in their relationship is palpable, as she is furious that he lied to her about being married, while he wants another go at her. Though a good cop, his all too human failings are readily apparent and a part of the investigation.
Being a small town, everything is related in Morden, and this only complicates the investigation. There are angles that are left at loose ends, especially concerning the owner of the farm where Polly’s cottage is located (and where she worked in the stables) . Nigel Maitland is not a good guy, but he’s too slippery for the police to get solid evidence against him, and his manipulations both within and outside his family.
Making the crime more complicated is Polly’s penchant for sleeping with anyone and everyone, none of whom want to admit it to the police, and many of whom may or may not have motive for her murder. The details are slowly played out as the book goes on, with information coming from calls into and reports by the police, interview records, and insights into many of the character’s actions and motivations.
The book takes place across just six days, but there is so much packed into it. The notes and files placed within the book assist in making it feel more like a procedural, as do the time stamps on each subchapter within the day. They create a sense of urgency and help with the timeline, as I frequently found myself flipping back and forth to ascertain how much time had passed between certain incidents.
This is one of the rare books I’ve read lately where I ignored my relatively sacred bedtime in favor of reading “just a little more” – which is definitely praise for any book. Although they aren’t related to this one, I do plan to back to read Elizabeth Haynes’ first three books, as I enjoyed this one enough to search them out.
Written by Michelle who loves living in a small town herself, though she’s grateful nothing so untoward has happened there. See what is of interest to her there via her blog Honest & Truly! and follow along with her on Twitter where she is also @HonestAndTruly.