Neil Low

It's refreshing to pick up a novel and read about a familiar locale, realizing that even with over half a century dividing the then and now, it's easy to lose oneself in the sense of place as the author draws a vivid portrait of Seattle in the 1940's.

The story opens with a pair of women traveling by train to Minneapolis, and murder ensues.

Meanwhile, back in Seattle, Alan and Vera begin looking into the disappearance of a woman assumed to be on her honeymoon. Too many inconsistencies arise when the much younger husband arrives back in town shortly thereafter, with power of attorney, holes in his story, and a criminal past.

In the age before computers and cell phones, our two dogged investigators use their wits, skills, determination, and even a little charm to pursue leads in the case. The ending is a great twist and once again affirms the era of the story.

This is the third in a series of books by Mr. Low, and I broke my own rule of not beginning the series at the beginning. There is a lot of back story hinted at between the two main protagonists, and at times I thought of putting the book down to read the previous novels and catch myself up. The brief glimpses of what came before didn't quite satisfy my curiosity, and detracted slightly from my total enjoyment of the book.

I liked the characters, place, and especially the era of the novel, and look forward to stepping back and reading Thick as Thieves and then continuing with the rest of the series.

Again, a pleasant surprise.… (altro)