I was looking at some books that were in my nightstand when I came across A Killer in King’s Cove. I bought this so many years ago that I no longer remember purchasing it. Still, I knew that it was part of a series with many entries, currently at twelve titles, so wanted to see what it was about. It turns out that I am glad that I had purchased this one.
Lane Winslow has moved to the far reaches of Western Canada, to the countryside where the nearest city is Nelson. There were things that she wanted to escape from in the aftermath of WWII Europe. Lane hopes that she will find peace and a new beginning here.
Lane meets a number of neighbors in her community. They include a family who moved there from New York-readers will find out why, a family with a son whom Lane does not especially like and his mother who seems to have psychological issues, a rather grouchy neighbor, and others. She is settling in when events overcome her.
A man is found dead and it would appear that he was looking for Lane prior to his murder. Why was this? Has Lane done something that would lead to her arrest? Readers find out as they watch Inspector Darling try to unravel matters.
I enjoyed this slow paced, over 400 page novel. The publisher feels that those who liked the Maisie Dobbs series will enjoy this one. I think that this could be true. I know that I will move on to the next in the series in the future.
Have you heard about this author and series? If so, what are your thoughts?
From the Publisher
Editorial Reviews
Review
A Killer in King’s Cove (#1)
“A good historical mystery with a cast of characters that will provide plot lines for the series to come. Iona Whishaw is a writer to watch.” —Margaret Cannon, Globe and Mail
“Exquisitely written, psychologically deft . . . If you miss Mary Stewart’s sleuthing heroines, if you loved Broadchurch and its village of suspects, settle in, turn off the phone, and enjoy.” —Linda Svendsen, author of Sussex Drive and Marine Life
“A debut mystery from an author destined for awards. A setting that is ripe for storytelling and a convincing gift for portraying the painful and challenging life for the survivors of the two world wars . . . Whishaw is an exciting addition to Canada’s fine roster of mystery writers.” —Don Graves, Canadian Mystery Reviews blog
“The writing . . . conjures up nicely the ambiance of a 1940s west Canadian locale and develops in depth both the characters and their interactions.” —San Francisco Book Review
“A Killer in King’s Cove is worth a look, especially as the author intends to reprise her lead character.” —Seattle Book Review
“Iona Whishaw brings to life a rural country town from the 1940s . . . She’s created an engaging, quirky cast of characters in the countryside who, some more reluctantly than others, welcome Lane into their circle. . . . Despite Lane’s promise to Inspector Darling to not cause any more mayhem in town, we sort of hope she does!” —ReviewingtheEvidence.com
“A simply riveting read by a master of the genre, A Killer in King’s Cove is especially recommended the personal reading lists of dedicated mystery buffs, as well as an enduringly popular acquisition choice for community library Mystery/Suspense collections.” —Wisconsin Bookwatch
Joyce's mystery and fiction book reviews with some non-fiction too! 