Monday, May 26, 2014

Overkill - Vanda Symon


In a nutshell

Set in the small town of Mataura on the South Island of New Zealand, this is in some ways a conventional murder mystery.  It opens with what seems to be a suicide, but the officer on the case (Sam Shephard) quickly determines that it was actually a murder.  As Sam begins to investigate, her superior officers soon decide that given her previous romantic relationship with the murder victim's husband that she may actually be a suspect.  Suspended from duty, Sam is left to her own devices to solve this case.

Did I like it?

I loved it!  Although I identified it as fairly conventional, that did not take away from the experience of reading this book at all.  I loved how Symon pulled in contemporary events to make the story topical.  In addition, Symon is fabulous at creating a sense of place (her later stories set in Dunedin are equally fabulous).  I felt like I was right there in small town New Zealand with the plucky heroine. 

Will you like it?

If you're looking for a really page turner with a sympathetic main character and a rip roaring plot, this is the book for you.  It's a book to take on vacation when you want something both readable and compelling, but that isn't too taxing.  It's also a great read for individuals wanting to get a feel for rural New Zealand.

What else happened while I was reading this book?

Another beautiful weekend accompanied by a lovely treat from Wellington's Cafe Polo.  'nough said.

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