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Exmoor Trilogy #2
Darkside
In bleak midwinter, the people of Shipcott are shocked by the murder of an elderly woman in her bed. As snow cuts off the village, local policeman Jonas Holly is torn between catching a brutal killer and protecting his vulnerable wife, Lucy.
When the inquiry is commandeered by an abrasive senior detective, Jonas finds himself derided by his colleagues and ashamed to admit to Lucy that he’s been sidelined. It seems his first murder investigation may be over before it’s begun. But when he receives a series of increasingly sinister anonymous notes, Jonas is thrust back into the center of the case. Someone in the village is taunting him, blaming him for the tragedy. Someone thinks he’s not doing his job; someone seems to know every move he makes. And soon Jonas has to ask: Who’s hunting who?
When the inquiry is commandeered by an abrasive senior detective, Jonas finds himself derided by his colleagues and ashamed to admit to Lucy that he’s been sidelined. It seems his first murder investigation may be over before it’s begun. But when he receives a series of increasingly sinister anonymous notes, Jonas is thrust back into the center of the case. Someone in the village is taunting him, blaming him for the tragedy. Someone thinks he’s not doing his job; someone seems to know every move he makes. And soon Jonas has to ask: Who’s hunting who?
287 pages, Paperback
First published January 6, 2011
About the author
Belinda Bauer
23 books1,866 followersBelinda Bauer grew up in England and South Africa. She has worked as a journalist and screenwriter, and her script THE LOCKER ROOM earned her the Carl Foreman/Bafta Award for Young British Screenwriters, an award that was presented to her by Sidney Poitier. She was a runner-up in the Rhys Davies Short Story Competition for "Mysterious Ways," about a girl stranded on a desert island with 30,000 Bibles. Belinda now lives in Wales.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 520 reviews
February 2, 2016
My Number 8 read for 2015
A Triumph for Bauer - 5 Stars
At the time of writing this review, I have the benefit of having read all of the Bauer's work up to her most recent, The Shut Eye. It may be that this second volume of the Exmoor Trilogy is her best work. It had psychological thrills, drama, excellent characters and a unique and exciting finish. While the first book in the Trilogy was decent, I can advise that it is worth reading the series to the end.
Plot Summary
This story takes place approximately 6 years after the events in Blacklands. The story shifts from the perspective of the young boy Steven to that of the Jonas, the local police officer. Jonas was on track for promotion and good placing with in the police force but when his wife was diagnosed with MS, he took a posting in a tiny community so that he could be available to care for his wife. Jonas and his community are shaken when a elderly woman is killed in home while lying in her bed. This killing sparks a series of murders that all target disabled and infirmed persons. Jonas must protect his community while he fears his own wife could be a target of the killer. The matter is complicated when he is put under the command of the abrasive, arrogant and ignorant Detective, John Marvel. Can Jonas find the killer and can he protect those he loves.
My Take
This is truly a compelling read. Bauer hits all the right notes to make Darkside a brooding psychological thriller with highs and lows that play like a symphony to fans of the genre.
As in most her novels, the best and clearest notes come from her characters. The majority of the story is told from the perspective of Jonas. He is a compelling character who follows a compelling arc. We watching fight for his future while he confronts the pains from his past. On the other end of the spectrum, we are confronted with the acerbic personality of John Marvel. He is one part brilliant, 2 parts jackass and 1 part broken. These two characters play off each other in a brilliant manner and eventually collide in a manner that falls outside of the norm for novels of this type.
While the characters are the best aspect of the story, the plot and the setting provide perfect harmony for the characters. The plots twist and turns while you keep guessing giving you reason to suspect every person that crosses the page. The gothic setting is dark but picturesque, freeing in the day but claustrophobic at night. Bauer is one of the best at combining great characters and lively, detailed settings with crime and mystery.
Final Thoughts
With the exception of Tana French, I have read few authors that who can develop a character as well as Belinda Bauer does over the course of a single novel. It may be that Belinda Bauer has taken over as my favorite author. Her novels have superb characters, great plots and engrossing settings. She is a true triple threat. If you haven't read a Belinda Bauer novel, you are doing yourself a disservice.
A Triumph for Bauer - 5 Stars
At the time of writing this review, I have the benefit of having read all of the Bauer's work up to her most recent, The Shut Eye. It may be that this second volume of the Exmoor Trilogy is her best work. It had psychological thrills, drama, excellent characters and a unique and exciting finish. While the first book in the Trilogy was decent, I can advise that it is worth reading the series to the end.
Plot Summary
This story takes place approximately 6 years after the events in Blacklands. The story shifts from the perspective of the young boy Steven to that of the Jonas, the local police officer. Jonas was on track for promotion and good placing with in the police force but when his wife was diagnosed with MS, he took a posting in a tiny community so that he could be available to care for his wife. Jonas and his community are shaken when a elderly woman is killed in home while lying in her bed. This killing sparks a series of murders that all target disabled and infirmed persons. Jonas must protect his community while he fears his own wife could be a target of the killer. The matter is complicated when he is put under the command of the abrasive, arrogant and ignorant Detective, John Marvel. Can Jonas find the killer and can he protect those he loves.
My Take
This is truly a compelling read. Bauer hits all the right notes to make Darkside a brooding psychological thriller with highs and lows that play like a symphony to fans of the genre.
As in most her novels, the best and clearest notes come from her characters. The majority of the story is told from the perspective of Jonas. He is a compelling character who follows a compelling arc. We watching fight for his future while he confronts the pains from his past. On the other end of the spectrum, we are confronted with the acerbic personality of John Marvel. He is one part brilliant, 2 parts jackass and 1 part broken. These two characters play off each other in a brilliant manner and eventually collide in a manner that falls outside of the norm for novels of this type.
While the characters are the best aspect of the story, the plot and the setting provide perfect harmony for the characters. The plots twist and turns while you keep guessing giving you reason to suspect every person that crosses the page. The gothic setting is dark but picturesque, freeing in the day but claustrophobic at night. Bauer is one of the best at combining great characters and lively, detailed settings with crime and mystery.
Final Thoughts
With the exception of Tana French, I have read few authors that who can develop a character as well as Belinda Bauer does over the course of a single novel. It may be that Belinda Bauer has taken over as my favorite author. Her novels have superb characters, great plots and engrossing settings. She is a true triple threat. If you haven't read a Belinda Bauer novel, you are doing yourself a disservice.
September 2, 2019
Having really enjoyed Bauer’s stunning debut novel Blacklands, it was about time that I revisited Exmoor.
Even though a few characters from the previous book appear, it’s the wintry South West English setting that connects the second part of the trilogy.
I was quite grateful as just like the setting, plenty of time has passed since I’d read Blacklands.
The local residents are shocked to hear of an old lady killed in her own bed.
The pressure is on for PC Jonas Holly as he must investigate his first murder trial, whilst the worry of caring for his wife who has been diagnosed with MS.
Whilst trying to solve the case Jonas is taunted with anonymous messages, just as the body count starts to rise...
With each passing day and the threat of another murder, the slow start soon rapidly picks up speed.
The closer to the reveal, it was harder to put down!
I believe the third book ties the two novels together, I’m curious to see how this trilogy concludes.
Even though a few characters from the previous book appear, it’s the wintry South West English setting that connects the second part of the trilogy.
I was quite grateful as just like the setting, plenty of time has passed since I’d read Blacklands.
The local residents are shocked to hear of an old lady killed in her own bed.
The pressure is on for PC Jonas Holly as he must investigate his first murder trial, whilst the worry of caring for his wife who has been diagnosed with MS.
Whilst trying to solve the case Jonas is taunted with anonymous messages, just as the body count starts to rise...
With each passing day and the threat of another murder, the slow start soon rapidly picks up speed.
The closer to the reveal, it was harder to put down!
I believe the third book ties the two novels together, I’m curious to see how this trilogy concludes.
July 16, 2020
WHAT.
THE.
FRICKAFRACK.
DID I JUST READ.
I am ... at a loss for words.
This book was absolutely DULL and FRUSTRATING and COLOURLESS and BLAND and basically a struggle for the first 350-odd pages. I considered DNFing it so many times. It was THAT boring. I hated all the characters and I hated having to learn about every inhabitant of the town and I hated the small-town setting and I hated the absolute ridiculousness of how badly these cops were doing their job.
AND THEN.
It just ... took off. Everything started happening, puzzles came and were solved in a rush, people were suddenly revealing secrets ... everything that was boring about this book vanished and suddenly I couldn't stop. The whole story just unravelled and I had no clue what was going on and now I've finished it and I'm just ... in shock.
I have so many issues with this book, not the least of how it's made me feel on finishing it. I mean... what the heck WAS that.
So let me break it down:
-The pace is terrible
-The characters are all awful
-The plot is almost non-existent
-Dull setting
-Last 100 pages came outta nowhere
So mostly I hated reading it but then it got ... not good, but addictive? and then it ended in such a fked up kinda way. I just ... I don't know how to rate it. Let me spoiler-rant for a bit.
Ok I know I'm doing it backwards but basically this book is about a cop in a small town who has to solve a murder, while dealing with fancy cops from the 'big smoke' (out of town, anyway) and also trying to care for his ailing wife, who has MS. But someone starts taunting him by leaving notes about him not doing his job, and he's a bit mystified as well because he knows everyone in the town and how can any of them be capable? So then we get to know all about them for 350 pages. Also he's in his 30s but acts like he's bloody 60 or something.
The book focuses so much on the town and its inhabitants that the plot just feels thin and barely there. It's quite dull unless you dig the small-town vibes, but it picks up in the last 5th of the book and if you're anything like me you'll be left wondering what the heck just happened.
I can't say I enjoyed it, but I'm glad I saw it through to the end.
I've loved the other two Belinda Bauer books I've read and you can appreciate her writing with that last bit, but overall it was mostly just disappointing. I'm happy to wash my hands of it, to be honest.
THE.
FRICKAFRACK.
DID I JUST READ.
I am ... at a loss for words.
This book was absolutely DULL and FRUSTRATING and COLOURLESS and BLAND and basically a struggle for the first 350-odd pages. I considered DNFing it so many times. It was THAT boring. I hated all the characters and I hated having to learn about every inhabitant of the town and I hated the small-town setting and I hated the absolute ridiculousness of how badly these cops were doing their job.
AND THEN.
It just ... took off. Everything started happening, puzzles came and were solved in a rush, people were suddenly revealing secrets ... everything that was boring about this book vanished and suddenly I couldn't stop. The whole story just unravelled and I had no clue what was going on and now I've finished it and I'm just ... in shock.
I have so many issues with this book, not the least of how it's made me feel on finishing it. I mean... what the heck WAS that.
So let me break it down:
-The pace is terrible
-The characters are all awful
-The plot is almost non-existent
-Dull setting
-Last 100 pages came outta nowhere
So mostly I hated reading it but then it got ... not good, but addictive? and then it ended in such a fked up kinda way. I just ... I don't know how to rate it. Let me spoiler-rant for a bit.
Ok I know I'm doing it backwards but basically this book is about a cop in a small town who has to solve a murder, while dealing with fancy cops from the 'big smoke' (out of town, anyway) and also trying to care for his ailing wife, who has MS. But someone starts taunting him by leaving notes about him not doing his job, and he's a bit mystified as well because he knows everyone in the town and how can any of them be capable? So then we get to know all about them for 350 pages. Also he's in his 30s but acts like he's bloody 60 or something.
The book focuses so much on the town and its inhabitants that the plot just feels thin and barely there. It's quite dull unless you dig the small-town vibes, but it picks up in the last 5th of the book and if you're anything like me you'll be left wondering what the heck just happened.
I can't say I enjoyed it, but I'm glad I saw it through to the end.
I've loved the other two Belinda Bauer books I've read and you can appreciate her writing with that last bit, but overall it was mostly just disappointing. I'm happy to wash my hands of it, to be honest.
February 5, 2017
Another great book in the Exmoor trilogy.
It is some time after the first book and an elderly, infirm lady is killed in her bed. Jonas our village policeman who knows everyone all around is the first to investigate. Then in comes DCI Marvel and his team from the city and they're tasked with the case.
The books centres around Jonas and how he copes with being the 'go to' police officer in his and surrounding villages with no back up. Married to Lucy who is sadly suffering with MS, he is very much a man under extreme pressure, especially from the acerbic DCI Marvel. Ms Bauer is absolutely brilliant at creating characters and there were many times that laugh out loud humour was injected into the story mostly from the curmudgeonly Marvel. I totally loved Marvel and his ways. At times showing signs of brilliant detecting, other times bowing down to his own value of self worth, such was his self importance! Jonas was also a likable character, very upstanding with a strong sense of purpose and a need to do the right thing. After all it is his patch! Ms Bauer has no problems in creating a maze of a plot that has you second guessing yourself right to the very end. As in the previous book we have the beautiful settings of the moors in all their heather filled beauty with winter adding touches of bleakness as the snow fell.
I thoroughly immersed myself in this book and came away feeling like I need to move onto book three, Finders Keepers, fairly quickly.
Highly recommend for great characterisation.
It is some time after the first book and an elderly, infirm lady is killed in her bed. Jonas our village policeman who knows everyone all around is the first to investigate. Then in comes DCI Marvel and his team from the city and they're tasked with the case.
The books centres around Jonas and how he copes with being the 'go to' police officer in his and surrounding villages with no back up. Married to Lucy who is sadly suffering with MS, he is very much a man under extreme pressure, especially from the acerbic DCI Marvel. Ms Bauer is absolutely brilliant at creating characters and there were many times that laugh out loud humour was injected into the story mostly from the curmudgeonly Marvel. I totally loved Marvel and his ways. At times showing signs of brilliant detecting, other times bowing down to his own value of self worth, such was his self importance! Jonas was also a likable character, very upstanding with a strong sense of purpose and a need to do the right thing. After all it is his patch! Ms Bauer has no problems in creating a maze of a plot that has you second guessing yourself right to the very end. As in the previous book we have the beautiful settings of the moors in all their heather filled beauty with winter adding touches of bleakness as the snow fell.
I thoroughly immersed myself in this book and came away feeling like I need to move onto book three, Finders Keepers, fairly quickly.
Highly recommend for great characterisation.
April 11, 2015
It took me a day or two to get into this book, but when I did, it took off. Jonas Holly - the policeman, the protector. Keeping his villages safe. Keeping his wife safe. Keeping secrets safe. John Marvel, DCI, drunk, bully, prick. Weirdly, I liked both of these characters, and I never expected the ending. I have to keep reviewing the clues to see if I really missed something, but Bauer did a good job misdirecting me all over the place!
August 26, 2022
My Take:
There are mixed reviews about DARKSIDE, Belinda Bauer’s second book, published in 2010, but I found it outstanding. It was marred only by the ending. She failed to end the story with a clear explanation of why the killings occurred, and convey a clearer outcome of the killer’s future. But contrary to several other readers, I wasn’t sure about the identity of the killer until near the end (and I am quite good at spotting killers, given the number of crime books I have read). Yes, the killer, when finally revealed, was among possibilities that I had considered, but was not my primary pick, right up to the conclusion.
I did feel that the hints about how the killer evolved into becoming one could have been made clearer. There were hints that I could connect, but I would have liked to have had them explained more coherently, and examined in greater depth. Another 60 pages added to the ending to wrap everything up would have been ideal.
Synopsis:
The story revolves around local village policeman, Jonas Holly, and his beloved wife, Lucy, who is slowly dying from MS. Jonas initially had ambitions for a more challenging career, but in his desire to protect his wife, he moved to the quiet village where he grew up. He still feels it’s his duty to protect the villagers; when he discovers that an elderly disabled woman who died in her bed was actually murdered, he reports it to authorities.
DCI John Marvel and his team come to the village to investigate the murder. When another frail, elderly person is murdered, Marvel sidelines Jonas to perform minor, humiliating tasks. The contrast between Marvel and Jonas is striking. Jonas is caring, attempts to safeguard all his villagers, and consequently is loved by nearly all; Marvel is arrogant, abrasive, not a team player, and consequently is disliked by nearly all, even his own investigative team. He tends to spout theories based on his intuition. He also drinks heavily.
In spite of Marvel’s theorizing, killings of the frail and elderly continue, and Jonas begins to suspect that the killer is targeting his cherished wife, Lucy. The suspense builds up to a riveting, unexpected ending.
Afterthoughts:
Reading Belinda Bauer’s books backwards—which, to a large extent, I have done—provides a glimpse into her creative thinking processes. For example, a group called Exit is referred to in DARKSIDE, a novel she published in 2010; Lucy is consulting a man from Exit about the possibility of ending her life. In 2021, Bauer wrote a book called “Exit” about an association that helps terminally ill people end their lives. The story told in “Exit”, the novel, is quite different from that glimmer of an organization briefly mentioned in DARKSIDE, but it shows that Bauer germinates ideas for years. Also, the emphasis of both books is the suffering experienced by people whose bodies (and sometimes their minds) are no longer whole—whether it is better to end their lives or to ensure that they live to the bitter end, and consequently endure the pain of dying slowly. To a certain extent, this theme also occurs in Bauer’s novel “The Beautiful Dead”.
There are hints that Jonas Holly suffered psychological trauma as a child and that his way to handle this was to suppress his memory of the entire episode. Compare his outcome to that of Steven Lamb, who also suffered psychological trauma (in “Blacklands”, Bauer’s first novel); Steven has emerged relatively unscathed in DARKSIDE, having developed into a resourceful teenager who remembers all he did wrong, and did right, to escape his tormentor; Jonas is not as proficient at coping with the stress of his forgotten past. Here the author suggests that similar childhood experiences can produce different end effects. Bauer again tackles this theme in “Snap”, published in 2018, where Jack becomes resourceful after the murder of his mother whereas his sister Joy becomes an unhinged hoarder. I believe that Bauer has also explored the theme of similar childhood experiences resulting in different outcomes with her comparisons of Calvin and Louis Bridge, two brothers who appear in several of Bauer’s novels—“The Facts of Life and Death”, “Snap”, and “Exit”.
But the best example of how Belinda Bauer works, I feel, is in her development of DCI John Marvel. He appears to be a humorous character in DARKSIDE, one who has taken an innate dislike to Jonas Holly. Insensitive, overtly cruel in his ability to relate to others, both villagers and members of his team, he gets nowhere with his investigation. The only villager he spends time with is Joy Springer, an old widow who rents accommodation to the investigative team and likes to drink. One night, Marvel tells Joy a story about: Ang Nu, who’d run like crazy and then when cornered, jumped from a bridge—not into the expected river, but onto the unfortunate spikes of the railings below. “One in his arse, one in his heart and one right through his eye socket.”
This story about Ang Nu was in DARKSIDE, published in 2010. Yet in 2015, Bauer published the novel wherein this incident actually occurred—“The Shut Eye”. In this 2015 novel, John Marvel played a major role. Marvel was still brusque, discourteous, and not a team player in “The Shut Eye”, but he was much more sympathetic, and he wasn’t the major drinker that he was in DARKSIDE. Furthermore, as “The Shut Eye” progressed, we learned that Aug Nu wasn’t an innocent victim, as implied in DARKSIDE. I always thought that “The Shut Eye” ended on a strange note—with John Marvel being banished from a major investigative unit in Lewisham to a much smaller one in Taunton, in the sticks (”fucking nowhere”,according to Marvel). Yet he solved the major kidnapping case and returned four-year-old Daniel Buck to his parents. Daniel knew that Aug had kidnapped him, and although only four, he would have been able to tell his parents and the police this. Yet “The Shut Eye” ends without mentioning that Aug was guilty and Marvel helped solve a major kidnapping case. Obviously, in 2010, when DARKSIDE was published, the author had not thought through the entire scenario, but she had prepared a backstory for Marvel, and as he had to end up in charge of the Taunton investigative unit, she needed to fudge the ending of “The Shut Eye” a bit in order to make this happen.
The author brought back Marvel once more, in “Snap”, published in 2018. Again, although an abrasive personality, he solves the case. And in “Snap” he is again a more sympathetic character than he originally was in DARKSIDE.
So Bauer creates complex backstories for characters in her novels; she develops these backstories over time, and may use a more lavish version of the backstory in a novel she writes at a later date. I think that this is one reason her characters are so richly layered. Furthermore, her stories revolve around several recurring themes. In a Bauer novel, the villain may be identified at the beginning of the story, in the middle, or in a surprise ending. Her stories do not revolve around “who did it” or “how to catch him or her”, but rather around how the crime affects the main characters, making these characters unforgettable. Over time, she has examined her major themes from several viewpoints—each time enriching our perspective of that theme.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
See my reviews for:
Darkside
The Facts of Life and Death
The Shut Eye
The Beautiful Dead
Snap
Exit
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
There are mixed reviews about DARKSIDE, Belinda Bauer’s second book, published in 2010, but I found it outstanding. It was marred only by the ending. She failed to end the story with a clear explanation of why the killings occurred, and convey a clearer outcome of the killer’s future. But contrary to several other readers, I wasn’t sure about the identity of the killer until near the end (and I am quite good at spotting killers, given the number of crime books I have read). Yes, the killer, when finally revealed, was among possibilities that I had considered, but was not my primary pick, right up to the conclusion.
I did feel that the hints about how the killer evolved into becoming one could have been made clearer. There were hints that I could connect, but I would have liked to have had them explained more coherently, and examined in greater depth. Another 60 pages added to the ending to wrap everything up would have been ideal.
Synopsis:
The story revolves around local village policeman, Jonas Holly, and his beloved wife, Lucy, who is slowly dying from MS. Jonas initially had ambitions for a more challenging career, but in his desire to protect his wife, he moved to the quiet village where he grew up. He still feels it’s his duty to protect the villagers; when he discovers that an elderly disabled woman who died in her bed was actually murdered, he reports it to authorities.
DCI John Marvel and his team come to the village to investigate the murder. When another frail, elderly person is murdered, Marvel sidelines Jonas to perform minor, humiliating tasks. The contrast between Marvel and Jonas is striking. Jonas is caring, attempts to safeguard all his villagers, and consequently is loved by nearly all; Marvel is arrogant, abrasive, not a team player, and consequently is disliked by nearly all, even his own investigative team. He tends to spout theories based on his intuition. He also drinks heavily.
In spite of Marvel’s theorizing, killings of the frail and elderly continue, and Jonas begins to suspect that the killer is targeting his cherished wife, Lucy. The suspense builds up to a riveting, unexpected ending.
Afterthoughts:
Reading Belinda Bauer’s books backwards—which, to a large extent, I have done—provides a glimpse into her creative thinking processes. For example, a group called Exit is referred to in DARKSIDE, a novel she published in 2010; Lucy is consulting a man from Exit about the possibility of ending her life. In 2021, Bauer wrote a book called “Exit” about an association that helps terminally ill people end their lives. The story told in “Exit”, the novel, is quite different from that glimmer of an organization briefly mentioned in DARKSIDE, but it shows that Bauer germinates ideas for years. Also, the emphasis of both books is the suffering experienced by people whose bodies (and sometimes their minds) are no longer whole—whether it is better to end their lives or to ensure that they live to the bitter end, and consequently endure the pain of dying slowly. To a certain extent, this theme also occurs in Bauer’s novel “The Beautiful Dead”.
There are hints that Jonas Holly suffered psychological trauma as a child and that his way to handle this was to suppress his memory of the entire episode. Compare his outcome to that of Steven Lamb, who also suffered psychological trauma (in “Blacklands”, Bauer’s first novel); Steven has emerged relatively unscathed in DARKSIDE, having developed into a resourceful teenager who remembers all he did wrong, and did right, to escape his tormentor; Jonas is not as proficient at coping with the stress of his forgotten past. Here the author suggests that similar childhood experiences can produce different end effects. Bauer again tackles this theme in “Snap”, published in 2018, where Jack becomes resourceful after the murder of his mother whereas his sister Joy becomes an unhinged hoarder. I believe that Bauer has also explored the theme of similar childhood experiences resulting in different outcomes with her comparisons of Calvin and Louis Bridge, two brothers who appear in several of Bauer’s novels—“The Facts of Life and Death”, “Snap”, and “Exit”.
But the best example of how Belinda Bauer works, I feel, is in her development of DCI John Marvel. He appears to be a humorous character in DARKSIDE, one who has taken an innate dislike to Jonas Holly. Insensitive, overtly cruel in his ability to relate to others, both villagers and members of his team, he gets nowhere with his investigation. The only villager he spends time with is Joy Springer, an old widow who rents accommodation to the investigative team and likes to drink. One night, Marvel tells Joy a story about: Ang Nu, who’d run like crazy and then when cornered, jumped from a bridge—not into the expected river, but onto the unfortunate spikes of the railings below. “One in his arse, one in his heart and one right through his eye socket.”
This story about Ang Nu was in DARKSIDE, published in 2010. Yet in 2015, Bauer published the novel wherein this incident actually occurred—“The Shut Eye”. In this 2015 novel, John Marvel played a major role. Marvel was still brusque, discourteous, and not a team player in “The Shut Eye”, but he was much more sympathetic, and he wasn’t the major drinker that he was in DARKSIDE. Furthermore, as “The Shut Eye” progressed, we learned that Aug Nu wasn’t an innocent victim, as implied in DARKSIDE. I always thought that “The Shut Eye” ended on a strange note—with John Marvel being banished from a major investigative unit in Lewisham to a much smaller one in Taunton, in the sticks (”fucking nowhere”,according to Marvel). Yet he solved the major kidnapping case and returned four-year-old Daniel Buck to his parents. Daniel knew that Aug had kidnapped him, and although only four, he would have been able to tell his parents and the police this. Yet “The Shut Eye” ends without mentioning that Aug was guilty and Marvel helped solve a major kidnapping case. Obviously, in 2010, when DARKSIDE was published, the author had not thought through the entire scenario, but she had prepared a backstory for Marvel, and as he had to end up in charge of the Taunton investigative unit, she needed to fudge the ending of “The Shut Eye” a bit in order to make this happen.
The author brought back Marvel once more, in “Snap”, published in 2018. Again, although an abrasive personality, he solves the case. And in “Snap” he is again a more sympathetic character than he originally was in DARKSIDE.
So Bauer creates complex backstories for characters in her novels; she develops these backstories over time, and may use a more lavish version of the backstory in a novel she writes at a later date. I think that this is one reason her characters are so richly layered. Furthermore, her stories revolve around several recurring themes. In a Bauer novel, the villain may be identified at the beginning of the story, in the middle, or in a surprise ending. Her stories do not revolve around “who did it” or “how to catch him or her”, but rather around how the crime affects the main characters, making these characters unforgettable. Over time, she has examined her major themes from several viewpoints—each time enriching our perspective of that theme.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
See my reviews for:
Darkside
The Facts of Life and Death
The Shut Eye
The Beautiful Dead
Snap
Exit
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
March 7, 2021
In the remote village of Shipcott on Exmoor in Somerset an elderly infirm woman is found murdered. Local PC Jonas Holly, already dealing with his wife Lucy who has multiple sclerosis, call in the local CID from Taunton. They are headed by a belligerent and unstable officer called John Marvel, who assigns Jonas to the most menial posts. Soon other elderly infirm people are murdered and the pressure piles up.
This is very much a character-driven psychological thriller, with the plot proceeding very slowly but focussing on the conflicting characters of Jonas and Marvel.
In all this is a difficult novel to assess. The character depictions are excellent as are those of life in bleak moorland during the winter. The gentle action built up to a frenetic pace during the final quarter. Alas the whole thing was let down by a rushed and totally implausible denouement, as if the author couldn’t come up with a realistic solution, instead resorting to supernatural mumbo-jumbo. What a waste!
This is very much a character-driven psychological thriller, with the plot proceeding very slowly but focussing on the conflicting characters of Jonas and Marvel.
In all this is a difficult novel to assess. The character depictions are excellent as are those of life in bleak moorland during the winter. The gentle action built up to a frenetic pace during the final quarter. Alas the whole thing was let down by a rushed and totally implausible denouement, as if the author couldn’t come up with a realistic solution, instead resorting to supernatural mumbo-jumbo. What a waste!
June 8, 2021
Yet another piece of brilliance from Belinda Bauer, this book follows on from Blacklands and includes some of the same and much loved characters but also reads well as a stand alone book.
I absolutely loved this book, Bauer is one of the best crime writers around, I did not see the ending coming and was stunned by it. Just read all her books!
Honestly? Not much more to say. Plot, pace, people in this book make it one heck of a story. Don't miss getting to know this author!
I absolutely loved this book, Bauer is one of the best crime writers around, I did not see the ending coming and was stunned by it. Just read all her books!
Honestly? Not much more to say. Plot, pace, people in this book make it one heck of a story. Don't miss getting to know this author!
February 6, 2020
I enjoyed Belinda Bauer's debut novel Blacklands and in her second novel Darkside Bauer adopts the same setting of the sleepy Somerset town, Shipcott, together with some of the same characters.
As with all of Bauer's novels, there’s the crime story, and there’s the human story and the human story is always more important. In Darkside the true heart of the book is the relationship between Jonas Holly and his wife Lucy, who has multiple sclerosis.
Bauer won wide acclaim for her first novel and with Darkside the tension mounts with striking yet credible narrative twists (with an extraordinary twist at the end!).
This author can do tragic brilliantly and she can do grim, but every now and then humor breaks into the story and she does that pretty good too.
A great "go to" author who rarely disappoints.
As with all of Bauer's novels, there’s the crime story, and there’s the human story and the human story is always more important. In Darkside the true heart of the book is the relationship between Jonas Holly and his wife Lucy, who has multiple sclerosis.
Bauer won wide acclaim for her first novel and with Darkside the tension mounts with striking yet credible narrative twists (with an extraordinary twist at the end!).
This author can do tragic brilliantly and she can do grim, but every now and then humor breaks into the story and she does that pretty good too.
A great "go to" author who rarely disappoints.
April 21, 2014
This is Belinda Bauer’s second novel, following on from the excellent debut, “Blacklands,” and featuring a familiar landscape – plus some characters we have met before. Jonas Holly is the village policeman in Shipcott, deep in the heart of Exmoor. Holly had longed for a more exciting police career, but has returned home after his beloved wife, Lucy, was diagnosed with multiple sclerosis. Now, he spends his time taking home drunks and being involved in neighbourhood disputes, while Lucy sits on the sofa and watches horror movies.
It seems as though sleepy Shipcott is far removed from horror, but then somebody suffocates Margaret Priddy; bed ridden and paralysed. Detective Chief Inspector Marvel is brought in to investigate the crime and he certainly does not want the help of local boy, Jonas Holly. Yet, when Holly is side-lined, he begins to receive anonymous notes, suggesting that he is not doing enough to protect his local community. Ignored by Marvel, suspicious of those he has known all his life, and hating to leave Lucy alone with a killer on the loose, Jonas realises that he is involved – whether Marvel likes it or not.
I like Bauer’s writing and enjoyed her debut very much. In this novel, however, she is let down by some weak plotting and a lack of viable suspects. Normally I am unable to work out ‘who-dunnit’ and never really try to – in this book, it is unfortunately quite clear who the killer is fairly early in the storyline. You hope she will pull out a sudden, surprising plot twist, but it never comes... However, generally the novel is well written, with interesting characters, and a nice atmosphere. I will certainly read on – that second novel is notoriously difficult and I know she can do much better.
It seems as though sleepy Shipcott is far removed from horror, but then somebody suffocates Margaret Priddy; bed ridden and paralysed. Detective Chief Inspector Marvel is brought in to investigate the crime and he certainly does not want the help of local boy, Jonas Holly. Yet, when Holly is side-lined, he begins to receive anonymous notes, suggesting that he is not doing enough to protect his local community. Ignored by Marvel, suspicious of those he has known all his life, and hating to leave Lucy alone with a killer on the loose, Jonas realises that he is involved – whether Marvel likes it or not.
I like Bauer’s writing and enjoyed her debut very much. In this novel, however, she is let down by some weak plotting and a lack of viable suspects. Normally I am unable to work out ‘who-dunnit’ and never really try to – in this book, it is unfortunately quite clear who the killer is fairly early in the storyline. You hope she will pull out a sudden, surprising plot twist, but it never comes... However, generally the novel is well written, with interesting characters, and a nice atmosphere. I will certainly read on – that second novel is notoriously difficult and I know she can do much better.
May 19, 2011
Ugh!!
I would throw this book off a cliff if...
a. I lived by a cliff and
b. it wasn't a library book
I don't know how this was a starred review in Publisher's Weekly and Booklist. I wish I would have stopped reading 50 pages in and saved myself 5 hours.
It was a normal murder mystery for the first part of the book, but the ending is what made it so so awful.
I would throw this book off a cliff if...
a. I lived by a cliff and
b. it wasn't a library book
I don't know how this was a starred review in Publisher's Weekly and Booklist. I wish I would have stopped reading 50 pages in and saved myself 5 hours.
It was a normal murder mystery for the first part of the book, but the ending is what made it so so awful.
February 20, 2012
WTF. no seriously WTF.
there is something weird going on with the British novels. and I know I consistently get crap for saying that, but this shit is not kosher. who writes a novel about murdering old people who are paralyzed? who does that?
moving on.
I think this book it reminds me of the tone you get in Dark Places and Set This House in Order: A Romance of Souls, very dark and creepy but still inviting. But it's an intense book, it definitely gets a little bit "off with their heads" at points
Reading it was sort of like watching this weeks episode of bones where the entire time I was sitting there like "if booth dies I'll never forgive you, if booth dies I'll never recover". this response isn't like me i don't get overly involved in books, or TV, or movies. these are special cases. I think that's why I like crime novels, because it feels like it matters. Like when in movies someone is watching a horror movie and they scream at the tv. A good crime novel is like that. and this is a good crime novel.
there is something weird going on with the British novels. and I know I consistently get crap for saying that, but this shit is not kosher. who writes a novel about murdering old people who are paralyzed? who does that?
moving on.
I think this book it reminds me of the tone you get in Dark Places and Set This House in Order: A Romance of Souls, very dark and creepy but still inviting. But it's an intense book, it definitely gets a little bit "off with their heads" at points
Reading it was sort of like watching this weeks episode of bones where the entire time I was sitting there like "if booth dies I'll never forgive you, if booth dies I'll never recover". this response isn't like me i don't get overly involved in books, or TV, or movies. these are special cases. I think that's why I like crime novels, because it feels like it matters. Like when in movies someone is watching a horror movie and they scream at the tv. A good crime novel is like that. and this is a good crime novel.
November 6, 2015
I was introduced to Belinda Bauer via my bookclub 'Whodunit'.
We read her first novel "Blacklands" which was a superior debut which I thoroughly enjoyed.
Enjoyed so much that I wanted to immediately begin her second novel "Darkside"...
I can honestly say it is one of the best novels I've read in recent memory!
It was a character driven mystery with the setting I prefer (England), filled with suspense with an astounding twist at the end.
Highly recommended!
We read her first novel "Blacklands" which was a superior debut which I thoroughly enjoyed.
Enjoyed so much that I wanted to immediately begin her second novel "Darkside"...
I can honestly say it is one of the best novels I've read in recent memory!
It was a character driven mystery with the setting I prefer (England), filled with suspense with an astounding twist at the end.
Highly recommended!
April 6, 2023
I’m on a mission to read the back catalogue of Belinda Bauer this year and finished Blacklands last week (my full review is here). Darkside is the 2nd in the series and can be read as a standalone, but if you follow my blog you will know I never, ever, knowingly read any books in a series out of order.
Darkside is set in the same village as Blacklands and begins about 4 years on from the tragedy featuring Stephen Lamb and child serial killer Arnold Avery. The villagers of Shipcott have finally moved on from the violence and horror until the discovery of an elderly woman found murdered in her bed.
PC Jonas Holly has returned to his childhood home in Shipcott with his wife who has recently been diagnosed with MS. He’s hoping the role as the Village Policeman will allow him more time to care for his wife as she struggles with the awful effects of MS. However when he finds himself caught in the middle of a murder investigation and then another victim is discovered he knows he has to catch the killer before they strike again and again.
We are introduced to DCI Marvel, a character straight out of the 70’s. A rude, politicially incorrect and inappropriate sexist man who finds himself in charge of the investigation in the midst of winter. He takes an instant dislike to PC Jonas Holly and it becomes obvious that he is there to make Holly’s life as miserable as possible.
There are some cameos from characters in the first book, and it’s nice to see how they have grown since Blacklands and how they are coping with life.
This book isn’t as fast paced as the first, however it is much more atmospheric with the snow and the weather becoming almost as important as the characters and the storyline.
Darkside certainly kept me guessing throughout and by the end I was feeling emotionally drained. I would definitely recommend it to any lovers of crime fiction and I have already started reading the final book in the trilogy; Finders Keepers.
⭐⭐⭐⭐
Darkside is set in the same village as Blacklands and begins about 4 years on from the tragedy featuring Stephen Lamb and child serial killer Arnold Avery. The villagers of Shipcott have finally moved on from the violence and horror until the discovery of an elderly woman found murdered in her bed.
PC Jonas Holly has returned to his childhood home in Shipcott with his wife who has recently been diagnosed with MS. He’s hoping the role as the Village Policeman will allow him more time to care for his wife as she struggles with the awful effects of MS. However when he finds himself caught in the middle of a murder investigation and then another victim is discovered he knows he has to catch the killer before they strike again and again.
We are introduced to DCI Marvel, a character straight out of the 70’s. A rude, politicially incorrect and inappropriate sexist man who finds himself in charge of the investigation in the midst of winter. He takes an instant dislike to PC Jonas Holly and it becomes obvious that he is there to make Holly’s life as miserable as possible.
There are some cameos from characters in the first book, and it’s nice to see how they have grown since Blacklands and how they are coping with life.
This book isn’t as fast paced as the first, however it is much more atmospheric with the snow and the weather becoming almost as important as the characters and the storyline.
Darkside certainly kept me guessing throughout and by the end I was feeling emotionally drained. I would definitely recommend it to any lovers of crime fiction and I have already started reading the final book in the trilogy; Finders Keepers.
⭐⭐⭐⭐
December 20, 2017
Another satisfying thriller from the excellent Belinda Bauer. This is an earlier effort from her, and is the second part of a loosely connected trilogy set in the same region of England. I have not yet read the first instalment, but this did not detract from what is mostly a stand-alone effort. Part mystery, part police-procedural, part thriller - what sets it apart is the Bauer traits of excellent writing, great dialogue, and unexpected humour. I particularly enjoyed the misanthropic, sarcastic, bullying (but very funny) lead detective. In a way, lots of Bauer books lack a sympathetic main character, which is unusual for this genre, but a refreshing change, as it makes them less predictable. Highly enjoyable, and I will certainly track down the other two books in this 'Exmoor trilogy'.
April 22, 2014
I'm stretching to give this a four as I actually found the ending very disappointing. My rating is for the way she manages to put me in the time and place with seemingly little effort. Her sparse writing makes for really good psychological thrillers but this, in my opinion, was a little too light on possible suspects to be a satisfying whodunit.
July 11, 2015
At last, a beautifully written crime thriller that follows the maxim less is more. No slasher serial killers in this one (so far) but horror nevertheless. But it's horror conjured from tiny details and exquisite writing. I read the first in this loose series some time ago and it's not necessary to read that one first before you come to this one.
Set in a Somerset village on the edge of Bodmin moor, this novel has perfect spirit of place, the bleak yet beautiful moor becoming a character in its own right. We have two policemen, Jonas Holly the local constable, and DCI Marvel, the drafted-in head of a regional homicide unit. Jonas is the likeable, sweet, dedicated copper--but he has dark secrets. Marvel is the brash, seemingly callous bad guy, but he's got a softer side. The clash between them is brilliantly done, genuinely funny at times and poignant.
The dialogue is wonderful, even down to capturing quirky local customs of mixing up gender, so a man giving a bunch of flowers, for example, would be referred to as, "Her give it to me." Wonderful. Coming from Devon where you are very likely to be referred to as, "My lover," by an elderly man or woman, this was like a breath of home for me.
I'm about two thirds of the way through and looking forward to each time I pick it up. Besides the great details, the dialogue, the intriguing crimes...this author can write! She produces the sorts of lines you want to jot down and keep, quote to people to convince them to read the novel.
I'll update when I've finished.
Okay, finished. Spoilers ahead. But just to say here I loved this novel and highly recommend it.
Set in a Somerset village on the edge of Bodmin moor, this novel has perfect spirit of place, the bleak yet beautiful moor becoming a character in its own right. We have two policemen, Jonas Holly the local constable, and DCI Marvel, the drafted-in head of a regional homicide unit. Jonas is the likeable, sweet, dedicated copper--but he has dark secrets. Marvel is the brash, seemingly callous bad guy, but he's got a softer side. The clash between them is brilliantly done, genuinely funny at times and poignant.
The dialogue is wonderful, even down to capturing quirky local customs of mixing up gender, so a man giving a bunch of flowers, for example, would be referred to as, "Her give it to me." Wonderful. Coming from Devon where you are very likely to be referred to as, "My lover," by an elderly man or woman, this was like a breath of home for me.
I'm about two thirds of the way through and looking forward to each time I pick it up. Besides the great details, the dialogue, the intriguing crimes...this author can write! She produces the sorts of lines you want to jot down and keep, quote to people to convince them to read the novel.
I'll update when I've finished.
Okay, finished. Spoilers ahead. But just to say here I loved this novel and highly recommend it.
August 29, 2018
3.5 stars. I consider Belinda Bauer one of the best mystery writers anywhere and regret I wasn’t aware of her superb writing earlier. I have now read her first novel Blacklands and her latest one Snap. Following Blacklands, Darkside is the second book in the Exmoor Trilogy and I have the final book in the series Finders Keepers on my ‘must read soon’ list. I understand her later books are stand alone ones. It is not necessary to read Blacklands to enjoy this one, although some of the characters in the first book are present in this one.
I am glad I read her latest Snap first to observe her progression as a superb storyteller, her development of unforgettable characters, a vivid sense of place and an overwhelming sense of dread and suspense along with a sense of humor and unique plots. Her characters come to life on the page.
I may not have found the story as riveting as her other two books I read, but thought it was superior to other recent psychological thrillers. It is winter in the bleak but beautiful moors. The setting is the tiny village of Shipcott where everyone knows everyone else and nothing much happens. The local policeman, Jonas Holly, once wanted a more demanding and exciting job but moved to the quiet village when his beloved wife became increasingly weakened by MS. He wants to protect and be there for her and also feels it is his duty to protect the villagers from any threat. Serious crime has been almost unknown in Shipcott.
An elderly lady is murdered and Jonas feels guilty thinking he somehow failed to keep her from harm. He starts to investigate but soon a team of detectives move in from elsewhere and Jonas is sidelined when another murder occurs. It soon becomes clear that an unknown person is killings the old and infirm.
Leading the murder investigation is the crude, arrogant and obnoxious Inspector Marvel who assigns Jonas to humiliating and useless tasks which lowers his respect in the village. Soon Jonas is receiving taunting notes implying his lack of effectiveness. Although he wants to be at his wife’s side always, he feels compelled to carry on a separate investigation at night. Since he knows all the villagers he may lessen Marvel’s tendency to implicate innocent people, a tendency to act on hunches with no tangible clues.
As more deaths occur we learn that Jonas experienced a trauma in his past which is never explicitly described and which he has blocked it from his consciousness. As he talks to the villagers he begins to regain their trust and respect, and one of the investigating police officers, (Reynolds) tries to distract Marvel from harassing Jonas. Since he is also intimidated by Marvel the attempt is feeble. Jonas is torn between a strong desire to help his ailing and courageous wife and his duty as village policeman. He begins to fear that the murderer is targeting his wife. The suspense builds up to a compelling and unexpected conclusion.
I am glad I read her latest Snap first to observe her progression as a superb storyteller, her development of unforgettable characters, a vivid sense of place and an overwhelming sense of dread and suspense along with a sense of humor and unique plots. Her characters come to life on the page.
I may not have found the story as riveting as her other two books I read, but thought it was superior to other recent psychological thrillers. It is winter in the bleak but beautiful moors. The setting is the tiny village of Shipcott where everyone knows everyone else and nothing much happens. The local policeman, Jonas Holly, once wanted a more demanding and exciting job but moved to the quiet village when his beloved wife became increasingly weakened by MS. He wants to protect and be there for her and also feels it is his duty to protect the villagers from any threat. Serious crime has been almost unknown in Shipcott.
An elderly lady is murdered and Jonas feels guilty thinking he somehow failed to keep her from harm. He starts to investigate but soon a team of detectives move in from elsewhere and Jonas is sidelined when another murder occurs. It soon becomes clear that an unknown person is killings the old and infirm.
Leading the murder investigation is the crude, arrogant and obnoxious Inspector Marvel who assigns Jonas to humiliating and useless tasks which lowers his respect in the village. Soon Jonas is receiving taunting notes implying his lack of effectiveness. Although he wants to be at his wife’s side always, he feels compelled to carry on a separate investigation at night. Since he knows all the villagers he may lessen Marvel’s tendency to implicate innocent people, a tendency to act on hunches with no tangible clues.
As more deaths occur we learn that Jonas experienced a trauma in his past which is never explicitly described and which he has blocked it from his consciousness. As he talks to the villagers he begins to regain their trust and respect, and one of the investigating police officers, (Reynolds) tries to distract Marvel from harassing Jonas. Since he is also intimidated by Marvel the attempt is feeble. Jonas is torn between a strong desire to help his ailing and courageous wife and his duty as village policeman. He begins to fear that the murderer is targeting his wife. The suspense builds up to a compelling and unexpected conclusion.
August 29, 2022
This author is one of my all time faves, but this book fell short for me. 3.5 stars rounded down
August 9, 2015
PROTAGONIST: Jonas Holly, village bobby
SETTING: UK
RATING: 4.5
Jonas Holly is a simple cop who takes pride in watching over the various villages for which he is responsible. He had the opportunity to move on to bigger and better things, but gave it up in order to support his wife, Lucy, whose health is declining as a result of multiple sclerosis. Ordinarily, life is pretty quiet in the area; however, when an elderly woman, Margaret Priddy, is murdered, the “big city” cops move in to take on the case.
When another older woman is killed, the search for the killer intensifies. Under the leadership of an arrogant and prickly Detective Chief Inspector named John Marvel, the investigation mainly seems to be going nowhere and more deaths occur. Marvel has taken a dislike to Jonas, who is relegated to a very secondary role, despite the fact that he is intimately familiar with the local residents. Bauer has done an incredible job in the creation of Marvel. He loves confrontation and putting people down, often quite cruelly. He’s a drinker and exhibits an appalling lack of sensitivity to others. He downplays the contributions of his team, the result being that the Detective Sergeant that reports to him is working to obtain evidence of his unfitness for the job. All in all, Marvel is the most interesting character in the book.
Marvel’s treatment of Jonas has led the locals to view Holly as verging on incompetent, a position that he never occupied before the murders occurred. He receives several notes indicating that his performance is lacking and is determined to redeem himself, conducting his own investigation behind the scenes.
DARKSIDE is a complex and engrossing psychological thriller, with superb characterization and an ever burgeoning sense of menace developing as the narrative progresses. The denouement is jaw dropping, although it didn’t ring quite true to me. It was quite close to over the top, but Bauer did a good job of fitting the pieces together so that the resolution did make sense. Despite my reservations about the ending, I found DARKSIDE to be an excellent book, with an expertly drawn setting and characters that had real meat on their bones.
SETTING: UK
RATING: 4.5
Jonas Holly is a simple cop who takes pride in watching over the various villages for which he is responsible. He had the opportunity to move on to bigger and better things, but gave it up in order to support his wife, Lucy, whose health is declining as a result of multiple sclerosis. Ordinarily, life is pretty quiet in the area; however, when an elderly woman, Margaret Priddy, is murdered, the “big city” cops move in to take on the case.
When another older woman is killed, the search for the killer intensifies. Under the leadership of an arrogant and prickly Detective Chief Inspector named John Marvel, the investigation mainly seems to be going nowhere and more deaths occur. Marvel has taken a dislike to Jonas, who is relegated to a very secondary role, despite the fact that he is intimately familiar with the local residents. Bauer has done an incredible job in the creation of Marvel. He loves confrontation and putting people down, often quite cruelly. He’s a drinker and exhibits an appalling lack of sensitivity to others. He downplays the contributions of his team, the result being that the Detective Sergeant that reports to him is working to obtain evidence of his unfitness for the job. All in all, Marvel is the most interesting character in the book.
Marvel’s treatment of Jonas has led the locals to view Holly as verging on incompetent, a position that he never occupied before the murders occurred. He receives several notes indicating that his performance is lacking and is determined to redeem himself, conducting his own investigation behind the scenes.
DARKSIDE is a complex and engrossing psychological thriller, with superb characterization and an ever burgeoning sense of menace developing as the narrative progresses. The denouement is jaw dropping, although it didn’t ring quite true to me. It was quite close to over the top, but Bauer did a good job of fitting the pieces together so that the resolution did make sense. Despite my reservations about the ending, I found DARKSIDE to be an excellent book, with an expertly drawn setting and characters that had real meat on their bones.
June 10, 2018
Dear Reader,
This book had me hooked from the beginning as I was invested in discovering the identity of the culprit of the crimes against these very vulnerable people.
The characters were perfectly portrayed and left me siding with Jonas,the local copper,
against the antagonistic Marvel,a character I loved in Ms Bauer's 'Shut Eye'.
While I was engrossed in the story,I must admit that I have very mixed feelings about the ending. I'll admit that I didn't expect the guilt to land at this figure's feet,but I thought the exposure of said guilty party and the fast resolution slightly rankled with me.
I'm peeved at the overall outcome and perhaps feel a little disjointed that I didn't put all the jigsaw pieces together properly to see the bigger picture.
There are numerous glowing reviews for this book so I urge prospective readers to peruse these.
While it didn't tick all the boxes for me,it certainly won't prevent me from discovering what other literary delights have been penned by this author.
This book had me hooked from the beginning as I was invested in discovering the identity of the culprit of the crimes against these very vulnerable people.
The characters were perfectly portrayed and left me siding with Jonas,the local copper,
against the antagonistic Marvel,a character I loved in Ms Bauer's 'Shut Eye'.
While I was engrossed in the story,I must admit that I have very mixed feelings about the ending. I'll admit that I didn't expect the guilt to land at this figure's feet,but I thought the exposure of said guilty party and the fast resolution slightly rankled with me.
I'm peeved at the overall outcome and perhaps feel a little disjointed that I didn't put all the jigsaw pieces together properly to see the bigger picture.
There are numerous glowing reviews for this book so I urge prospective readers to peruse these.
While it didn't tick all the boxes for me,it certainly won't prevent me from discovering what other literary delights have been penned by this author.
August 12, 2015
Another great novel by Belinda Bauer who was recommended to me by one of my Goodread friends. The second novel in this mini series and I do recommend you read them in order as they do give things away otherwise. I think the strength in her writing are the strong characters she creates and the excellent narratives. This book had me on the edge of my seat as I tried to unravel the climax. I enjoyed this book so much I instantly picked up the 3rd book in the series.
June 13, 2012
Rating 2.5 stars
This mediocre mystery plodded along...until the reveal shocked me so much, I had to read it several times to make sure I'd understood it. I had. Wow. If only the rest of the book had the impact of this chapter.
This mediocre mystery plodded along...until the reveal shocked me so much, I had to read it several times to make sure I'd understood it. I had. Wow. If only the rest of the book had the impact of this chapter.
December 1, 2016
Besviken. Tyckte om den första boken i trilogin.
Man kanske inte ska läsa en deckare efter Dorian Gray...
;-)
Man kanske inte ska läsa en deckare efter Dorian Gray...
;-)
November 11, 2023
Another excellent book by this author. I really do love her style of writing. I found it gripping, tense and atmospheric and also slightly darkly humorous at times, there’s not many books I read that I find have this mix! Kept me guessing and interested right up to the very last page. One I would recommend.
August 11, 2012
Margaret Priddy ist gelähmt und unfähig zu sprechen. Wie hätte sie sich da Feinde machen können? Und doch wurde sie in ihrem Bett erstickt. Das nächste Opfer ist Yvonne Marsh, eine verwirrte Frau, im eisigen Bach ertränkt. Menschen, die eine Belastung für ihre Angehörigen sind, werden in diesem Winter im kleinen Dorf Shipcott im Exmoor getötet.
Der Dorfpolizist Jonas Holly möchte nicht nur die Dorfbewohner, für die er verantwortlich ist, sondern vor allem auch seine an Multipler Sklerose in fortgeschrittenem Stadium erkrankte Frau beschützen. Als ein Team der Mordkommission eintrifft, wird er zur Statistenrolle verdammt und auch die Profis stochern nur im Trüben.
Darkside (Der Beschützer) von Belinda Bauer ist kein Buch, das die Lobgesänge rechtfertigt. Die Personen werden zwar ausführlich vorgestellt, bleiben aber trotzdem seltsam leb- und konturlos. Jonas Holly ist so ein Gutmenschentyp, der einem gewaltig auf den Wecker fällt. Sein Gegenspieler, der Chef der Mordermittler, heißt Marvel und ist ein Choleriker. Wirkt wie eine Zeichentrickfigur mit knallrotem Kopf und Rauchwolken aus der Nase stoßend. Die Romanfiguren sind völlig überzeichnet.
Das Ende, die Auflösung des Falles ist dermaßen überzogen und konstruiert, das man das Buch dann nur noch genervt zuschlägt. Zumal hier eine nicht unumstrittene psychologische Theorie bemüht wird, die dazu auch noch lieblos hingeklatscht und auch noch verkitscht wird. Und es ist ja nicht so, dass der Weg dorthin aufregend oder spannend wäre, es gibt keine Finten oder falsche Fährten, das ganze Buch ist auf dieses Ende hin geschrieben.
Gibt trotzdem noch zwei Sterne, weil Belinda Bauer ganz gut schreiben kann. Noch etwas: Freddy Krueger schlitzt nicht im Film Freitag, der 13., läßt sich in weniger als einer Minute schon bei Google recherchieren.
Der Dorfpolizist Jonas Holly möchte nicht nur die Dorfbewohner, für die er verantwortlich ist, sondern vor allem auch seine an Multipler Sklerose in fortgeschrittenem Stadium erkrankte Frau beschützen. Als ein Team der Mordkommission eintrifft, wird er zur Statistenrolle verdammt und auch die Profis stochern nur im Trüben.
Darkside (Der Beschützer) von Belinda Bauer ist kein Buch, das die Lobgesänge rechtfertigt. Die Personen werden zwar ausführlich vorgestellt, bleiben aber trotzdem seltsam leb- und konturlos. Jonas Holly ist so ein Gutmenschentyp, der einem gewaltig auf den Wecker fällt. Sein Gegenspieler, der Chef der Mordermittler, heißt Marvel und ist ein Choleriker. Wirkt wie eine Zeichentrickfigur mit knallrotem Kopf und Rauchwolken aus der Nase stoßend. Die Romanfiguren sind völlig überzeichnet.
Das Ende, die Auflösung des Falles ist dermaßen überzogen und konstruiert, das man das Buch dann nur noch genervt zuschlägt. Zumal hier eine nicht unumstrittene psychologische Theorie bemüht wird, die dazu auch noch lieblos hingeklatscht und auch noch verkitscht wird. Und es ist ja nicht so, dass der Weg dorthin aufregend oder spannend wäre, es gibt keine Finten oder falsche Fährten, das ganze Buch ist auf dieses Ende hin geschrieben.
Gibt trotzdem noch zwei Sterne, weil Belinda Bauer ganz gut schreiben kann. Noch etwas: Freddy Krueger schlitzt nicht im Film Freitag, der 13., läßt sich in weniger als einer Minute schon bei Google recherchieren.
January 6, 2012
I just finished reading this and I feel in a bit of a daze. What a novel to kick off the new year reading!
I had previously read Blacklands and fell in love with the author's style of writing and her characters coming to life. They came to life so well that I found myself becoming horribly defensive of them. Well...certain ones of them ;)
Fun fact about me: After showering, I curl up in my robe on the bathroom floor and read for about a half hour. I read this one for an hour and a half because I could not put it down until I had finished the ending. Almost toppled over trying to walk after that. Effects of the hard floor or the book, not sure.
These books aren't quite my normal genre of books to read, and I am reluctant to try others just because I don't think any will be able to hold a candle to Ms. Bauer's books.
I eagerly await her next book.
I had previously read Blacklands and fell in love with the author's style of writing and her characters coming to life. They came to life so well that I found myself becoming horribly defensive of them. Well...certain ones of them ;)
Fun fact about me: After showering, I curl up in my robe on the bathroom floor and read for about a half hour. I read this one for an hour and a half because I could not put it down until I had finished the ending. Almost toppled over trying to walk after that. Effects of the hard floor or the book, not sure.
These books aren't quite my normal genre of books to read, and I am reluctant to try others just because I don't think any will be able to hold a candle to Ms. Bauer's books.
I eagerly await her next book.
April 19, 2018
Wow! Book #2 of the Exmoor Trilogy. (In order is Blacklands, Darkside and Finders Keepers).
Full of tension and suspense. Everything I expect from a Belinda Bauer novel. She is one of my favorite writers on the planet. The way she writes her characters with so much depth. I never saw this ending coming, a very shocking twist.
I loved this book, but I love all her books. She continues to write the most thrilling books, with characters that I love also.
When I finish a book of hers , I wish I had stacks and stacks of more of her novels to read.
No surprise, I give this a 5 star rating.
Outstanding!
Full of tension and suspense. Everything I expect from a Belinda Bauer novel. She is one of my favorite writers on the planet. The way she writes her characters with so much depth. I never saw this ending coming, a very shocking twist.
I loved this book, but I love all her books. She continues to write the most thrilling books, with characters that I love also.
When I finish a book of hers , I wish I had stacks and stacks of more of her novels to read.
No surprise, I give this a 5 star rating.
Outstanding!
December 28, 2015
Weird, just weird. Disappointing.
May 29, 2017
The ending of this book is the stupidest I've ever come upon. And the fact that there is a sequel boggles my mind. TERRIBLE
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