Former Met officer Roz Parker has booked the sleeper train needing to get to her daughter, who is prematurely giving birth. Along the way are seventeen other passengers, who all seem to be hiding something. When one of their number is found dead after the train derails in the Highlands, Roz must determine if it's an accident or murder. And if its murder, will it be the only one?
There are definitely Agatha Christie vibes with this one, but it is uniquely Alexandra Benedict. The Christmas theme, games, but also the twist and turns of the plot itself. The reader can see the inspiration, and then see where Benedict makes it her own. I loved it. However, I found it to be a slow-paced storyline. While we are introduced to the murder in the first chapter, the reader is taken back to before the event and everything that lead up to it. The first 25-30 percent of the beginning is setting up the characters. The instant feeling of dislike, annoyance, and even outright hatred really made it difficult for me to care for some of them, and I believe that is why the pace is slow. I just really didn’t want to know the whys, just that it had happened.
I have read that many think Benedict tried to add too much diversity and current issues into the story, and they felt it was convoluted. Here is the thing. ALL OF THESE THINGS ARE HAPPENING IN REALITY! Life is convoluted, people are finding identities, changing them, and changing them again. Criminals thought to have gotten away with it are finding that their victims are speaking up. While this may seem too late to some people, to them I say, it is clear that you are the problem and not the solution. Be better!
As with Benedict’s The Christmas Murder Game, there were additional games for the reader to find throughout the story. And, again, I didn’t participate in them as I read. At the end I ignored the answers and, hopefully, will find the time to re-read and try them myself. I find this, also, as uniquely Benedict as I know of no other author who offers such a thing. Though, Ellery Queen does stop the Ellery Queen mysteries before revealing the solutions, in order to give the reader time to make their own conclusions. So, there is that connection.
Overall, I rate this novel 4 out of 5 stars.
Comments
Post a Comment