Author Alison Bruce was new to Auntie M until recently. The author of two non-fiction crime books, Alison lives in Cambridgeshire with her family and turned her hand to fiction, introducing Detective Constable Gary Goodhew, the youngest, and probably brightest, detective in Cambridge’s Parkside Station. Cambridge is a wonderful setting and Bruce does it justice, using the river and its environs to jumpstart a fast-paced mystery that never lets up in her first entry, Cambridge Blue.
After an intriguing prologue, DC Goodhew is first on the scene at Midsummer Common after the body of Lorna Spence is found. Although it’s his first murder case, Goodhew quickly becomes involved, to the chagrin of his new partner, DC Michael Kincaide. Lorna was well-liked and there appears to be no motive for her murder–until a second brutal murder is committed in similar circumstances, kicking the investigation and the pacing into overdrive.
Bruce does a nice job of introducing the other characters in her plot; one who will return besides Goodhew’s partner and his DI, is his grandmother, a spry woman with a wise mind. As the investigation moves along, Goodhew’s instincts ripen, and despite what we think we know, Bruce manages to surprise her readers with twists and more twists in this agreeable novel.
In her second outing, The Siren, Goodhew forms an unlikely alliance with a young witness. Two young women, Kimberly Guyver and Rachel Golinski have a shared past they thought they’d left behind, until it catches up with them in a startling way, leaving Rachel’s house burned down, and Kimberly’s young son, Riley, missing.
As Goodhew investigates both incidents, he uncovers conflicting stories: Kimberly is distraught but also defensive and at times seems uncooperative to him. Is this the natural result of a life lived in foster homes, suspicious of police and anyone with power, or is it born out of fear that he will find his way to the bottom of the lies she’s told him? With the life of a young child hanging in the balance, Goodhew races to save lives and almost loses his own in the process.
Bruce does another great job of parsing out Goodhew’s back story whilst showing him maturing and evolving in his job and in his life. One device she shares with her readers is the playlist she listens to whilst writing these novels. These songs keep her company when she’s writing and for her, they “belong” to each novel. I was delighted to read this, as I work in a similar way, with certain pieces of music attaching themselves to a project as I’m writing, which become identified for me with that work and sometimes influence it.
Looking forward to seeing where Bruce takes Goodhew in Cambridge next~
On my blog is a place to click to “follow” or “subscribe.” It showed that I had 38 followers with the note “Join 38 other followers.” This afternoon I noticed that that number was 37.
I appreciate your reading and your comments when you have time to comment. How are you lately?
Hey, Maggie, Well, you’ve taught me something! Thanks.
We’re good; caught up in copyedits of Green Remains after taking 2 1/2 mos off to renovate Sean’s house, get him married, and help him with his many medical docs and appts.
The good news is that he finally had a bone marrow and they’ve ruled out any form of cancer and decided he has an iron deficiency anemia as a result of the bariatric surgery he had a few years ago, along with chronic Lyme’s disease, which accounts for his continued joint pain and fatigue, and which also bottomed out his immune system. He was just approved by Blue Cross for those gamma globulin infusions, which are very expensive, and gets the first of three next week. They have to be given three months apart so they don’t overload his heart–yikes–and his is still not able to work as a paramedic until that level starts to rise. He’s seeing a rheumatologist next week, too, for help with the joint pain. It’s been a long haul, but Robin is a great support and he’s a trouper. When they got married Dec. 4th they still didn’t have a firm diagnosis after five months of illness and a trip to Johns Hopkins. When I asked her if she was certain she wanted to marry him then, she replied: “For better or worse–I love him.” I knew then he couldn’t do any better than her.
The work on the book is going well and I’m hoping to have it in print by April 1st the latest. Good ‘talking’ to you! M
Thanks, Marni. I do not mind being 67. After all, it’s “better than the alternative!” Since I was a little girl I’ve loved my birthday. So I’ve felt all day that it’s been “my day, my special day.”