Official Review: Dead Before Morning #1 Rafferty & Ll...
Posted: 19 Nov 2019, 18:09
[Following is an official OnlineBookClub.org review of "Dead Before Morning #1 Rafferty & Llewellyn Mystery Series" by Geraldine Evans.]
In this classic British crime novel, the first in an 18-book series by Geraldine Evans, Detective Inspector Joseph Rafferty and his new partner, Sergeant Llewellyn, who recently left Wales to join the Essex police force, confront a mutilated corpse that nobody can identify. Despite his greater experience, Rafferty feels inferior to his well-spoken subordinate, while Llewellyn wants his ideas to be taken more seriously. Both detectives must conquer their prejudices as they struggle to solve the crime.
Found on the grounds of a private psychiatric hospital, the body is soon identified through her fingerprints. Suspects abound, and the two police officers must interview hospital staff, some patients, and anyone else who had the slightest connection to the murdered woman. Alas, every person they question has a solid alibi. Then several witnesses from the local pub mention seeing a woman who greatly resembled the victim. Who was it? Might the victim have been killed because she was mistaken for someone else? More complications, surprises, discoveries, and plot twists ensue.
Dead Before Morning is not a dark and serious novel; rather, it is a traditional whodunit in the style of Agatha Christie. Written with a light and slightly humorous touch, it also resembles the works of more modern authors such as Nancy Atherton, Rhys Bowen, and G. M. Malliet.
The author's adept plotting is one of the best features of this book. Each new revelation leads the investigators to a different view of the murder and different ideas about who might be responsible. The reader follows along, as though threading a maze, second-guessing the detectives, hoping to solve the mystery and emerge triumphant at the end.
The pacing is equally superb. Discoveries come fast enough to keep the reader's interest but not so fast as to be confusing. The multitudinous characters are also introduced at a reasonable speed, so there is no difficulty in remembering names, personalities, and relationships.
The only slight weakness of this crime novel is in its portrayal of the two policemen. Painted with a broad brush, they are somewhat stereotyped. A member of a large Irish family, Rafferty left school at 16; he wears cheap suits, loud ties, and worn-out boots. The only son of a clergyman, Llewellyn is a university graduate; he wears conservative dark suits and likes to quote Dylan Thomas. However, both characters do become more nuanced as the story moves along.
Dead Before Morning has earned 4 out of 4 stars for its delightfully twisty plot, wonderful writing, and interesting characters. Readers who appreciate cozy mysteries, whodunits, or police procedurals will be certain to enjoy this book. Its editing is impeccable, and, aside from one reference to a character possibly engaging in prostitution, none of the content would offend the most sensitive reader.
******
Dead Before Morning #1 Rafferty & Llewellyn Mystery Series
View: on Bookshelves
In this classic British crime novel, the first in an 18-book series by Geraldine Evans, Detective Inspector Joseph Rafferty and his new partner, Sergeant Llewellyn, who recently left Wales to join the Essex police force, confront a mutilated corpse that nobody can identify. Despite his greater experience, Rafferty feels inferior to his well-spoken subordinate, while Llewellyn wants his ideas to be taken more seriously. Both detectives must conquer their prejudices as they struggle to solve the crime.
Found on the grounds of a private psychiatric hospital, the body is soon identified through her fingerprints. Suspects abound, and the two police officers must interview hospital staff, some patients, and anyone else who had the slightest connection to the murdered woman. Alas, every person they question has a solid alibi. Then several witnesses from the local pub mention seeing a woman who greatly resembled the victim. Who was it? Might the victim have been killed because she was mistaken for someone else? More complications, surprises, discoveries, and plot twists ensue.
Dead Before Morning is not a dark and serious novel; rather, it is a traditional whodunit in the style of Agatha Christie. Written with a light and slightly humorous touch, it also resembles the works of more modern authors such as Nancy Atherton, Rhys Bowen, and G. M. Malliet.
The author's adept plotting is one of the best features of this book. Each new revelation leads the investigators to a different view of the murder and different ideas about who might be responsible. The reader follows along, as though threading a maze, second-guessing the detectives, hoping to solve the mystery and emerge triumphant at the end.
The pacing is equally superb. Discoveries come fast enough to keep the reader's interest but not so fast as to be confusing. The multitudinous characters are also introduced at a reasonable speed, so there is no difficulty in remembering names, personalities, and relationships.
The only slight weakness of this crime novel is in its portrayal of the two policemen. Painted with a broad brush, they are somewhat stereotyped. A member of a large Irish family, Rafferty left school at 16; he wears cheap suits, loud ties, and worn-out boots. The only son of a clergyman, Llewellyn is a university graduate; he wears conservative dark suits and likes to quote Dylan Thomas. However, both characters do become more nuanced as the story moves along.
Dead Before Morning has earned 4 out of 4 stars for its delightfully twisty plot, wonderful writing, and interesting characters. Readers who appreciate cozy mysteries, whodunits, or police procedurals will be certain to enjoy this book. Its editing is impeccable, and, aside from one reference to a character possibly engaging in prostitution, none of the content would offend the most sensitive reader.
******
Dead Before Morning #1 Rafferty & Llewellyn Mystery Series
View: on Bookshelves
