Bookish Thoughts: Under a Silent Moon by Elizabeth Haynes

In years to come, Flora would remember this as the day of Before and After. ~ Opening of Under a Silent Moon

Under a Silent Moon (DCI Louisa Smith #1) by Elizabeth Haynes

Sphere, 2013

Crime Fiction; 368 pgs

An excerpt from the Publisher:

Two women share one fate. 

A suspected murder at an English Farm. A reported suicide at a local quarry.

Can DCI Louisa Smith and her team gather the evidence and discover a link between them, a link which sealed their fate one cold night, Under a Silent Moon?

A couple of years ago, I read and loved Into the Darkest Corner by Elizabeth Haynes. It was an intense reading experience that left me checking the locks on my doors and windows more than I had before. Under a Silent Moon is a very different crime fiction novel. While the other had been more of a thriller, Under a Silent Moon is most definitely a police procedural.

Haynes was meticulous in her research and in detailing the investigation of the two deaths as it unfolded over six days time. As a result, I felt as if I was right in the middle of the investigation with the police, rushing to find the truth, waiting for resources and technology outside their control to become available and chasing each lead as it came in, hoping one or two would lead them in the right direction. The novel is told from multiple perspectives, giving the reader a good overview of the various parts of the investigation.

I always find it interesting to be in the middle of a police investigation, seeing how the pieces falling into place as well as the dynamics of those involved in the investigation. At the head of this investigation is DCI Louisa (Lou) Smith. It is her first time at the helm, and she wants to make a good impression. It isn't always easy for her. Her lead detective seems distracted and their history together only complicates matters.

As focused on the two deaths and their possible connection as the novel was, I admit to being concerned character development would suffer as a result. I should not have worried. The reader gets a good feel for many of the players in the book as the investigation unfolds, including the victims. And given this is just the first book in a series, I am sure the reader will get to know more about the various continuing characters in future books. I definitely want to know more about Lou and Jason Mercer, the analyst.

Many possible motives are raised throughout the book, some more likely than others. For the last third of the book, I was racing through to the end to see what the conclusion would be. While I was not surprised by the final outcome, I wanted--and needed--to know how everything would play out. In some ways this book is very similar to other police procedurals out there, but I really like Elizabeth Haynes' writing style and her characters, and I am looking forward to reading Behind Closed Doors, the next book in the series.

Rating:   (Very Good)

To learn more about Elizabeth Haynes and her books, please visit the author's website.

Source: I bought an e-copy version of this book for my own reading pleasure.

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