Department Q book #1
It seems to be at top bestseller in Northern Europe your mysteries have to feature a deeply flawed detective as a protagonist and it works. Put into the mix one of the most intriguing story and you have a hit.
This first instalment is very character- driven and centers on a physically and emotionally damaged Copenhagen police homicide detective, Carl Morck who was once one of Copenhagen’s best till a bullet almost took his life and left his two colleagues not so lucky. He never forgave himself for not drawing his pistol ever since. He isn’t one to stick to the rules and soon finds himself “punished” and put to pasture in the basement to run the new formed department Q, a special unit investigating cold cases of missing persons long forgotten. With his one assistant Hafez el- Assad, political refugees from Syria, the duo makes a strangely detective pair. Their first case is a high profile one, the disappearance of Merete Lynggaard, a politician who vanished without a trace five years earlier. The preliminary investigation reveals elementary omissions from the original team and sloppy detective works and opens a ton of questions they want and need answers for…..
The aspect of their investigation is excellent, well-paced and few characters to keep track of which made it easier to place the pieces of the puzzle together as the plot moved on. Different chapters are devoted to Merete from the time before her abduction through her ordeal of being a captive. The story is highly captivating and I was hooked immediately and spellbound till the end. The characterization is dynamic and brilliant, painting the perfect odd couple (Carl and Assad) with all the funny moments that goes with it. A little humour served to create breathing room where the tension is too high, combine to it is a good portion of satire and self-irony and you have all the important components to set you characters into a most gripping of plot.
Book 4 (5) in the William Marshal series
This is an excellently crafted historical fiction that span the years 1204-1218 and tells the story of Mahelt, the eldest daughter of William Marshall.
The novel begins with Mahelt’s betrothal to Hugh Bigod the Earl of Norfolk’s son, this union is expected to help cement the Marshal family’s influence and position and Mahelt accepts her role well aware of its importance. Their bond blossoms through the years at a time when King John’s relationship with his noblemen slowly worsen and the country descends into war and political turmoil. The Marshal and the Bigod find themselves on the opposite sides of the conflict. When her father is suspected by the king, her brothers become hostages and Mahelt’s life changes forever. To defy a king is to put themselves and their family in serious danger….
This is a wonderful and compelling story of a vibrant woman that lived in a tyrant’s world and is torn between her duty to her family and one due to her marriage. Ms. Chadwick has created another spirited and enjoyable character in Mahelt and a fascinating web of intrigues as we continue into the William Marshal saga. Roger and Ida Bigod played a good part in the background and a new generation of sons and daughters and a large cast of diverse characters joined in. The author excels in creating vivid and a well balanced blend of both action and emotional scenes and believable relationships between her characters. Ms. Chadwick knows how to keep the recurring characters fresh by giving them a different spin in life with each installment. She is an amazing writer who lets her readers travel back in time and paints them a living picture influenced by a dialogue and a narrative peppered with medieval words and natural cadence.
This story is so captivating it is very hard to put down.
The Hollow Reed trilogy volume 1
Ms. Parker creativity has sparked once more and has provided us with another exciting and very captivating historical fiction. This time a trilogy that tells the stories of human beings caught in the terrifying events that shook a nation. The first installment brings us to the closing year of the twelfth century Japan with Go-Shirakawa as its emperor. At the time there is growing unrest between factions forcing a minor vassal, Oba no Hiramato to sell his fourteen year old daughter Toshiko to the emperor in exchange for fervors. Toshiko submits to the will of her father but little did she know she will soon fall into the treacherous world of concubines vying for Do-Shirakawa’s attention.
At the same time, Yamara Sadahira works as a physician among the poor and is occasionally called to the palace to treat the imperial cooks. One day, he takes a wrong turn and ends up in the forbidden women’s quarters where he meets Toshiko and falls deeply in love with her…..and debuts a passionate tale of love……
Ms. Parker’s prose is rich and elegant. She excels in portraying emotional depth in her characterization and her tale vividly comes alive with passion and with tradition. Even if the action may seem to slow down at times there are surprising turns of events to captivate us while this wonderful adventure unfolds. Like any good trilogy we are left hanging and wanting for more, this one is no exception. I enjoy this new tale and looking forward to the second volume.
