Monday, April 20, 2020

Deadland by William Shaw


First Lines: The first time they tried stealing a phone, it went arse-tit. The second time, much worse.

Sloth and Tap are two bored, broke seventeen-year-olds who decide to liven things up and line their pockets by stealing smartphones. And wouldn't you know it? They prove that they have no talent for it and no luck whatsoever when they steal a phone from someone who's willing to kill them to get it back.

While the two boys are trying to stay alive, Detective Sergeant Alexandra Cupidi is trying to solve the case of the severed arm found in a work of art. She and Detective Constable Jill Ferriter are finding it tough going because no one takes the case seriously.

But the case becomes more and more sinister, and when Cupidi finds out about the two boys (who happen to be the same age as her own daughter), she can't help but worry about them, too.

This series just keeps getting better and better and better. Alexandra Cupidi made her first appearance in The Birdwatcher, and although I couldn't stand her character, the story was so good that I knew I'd read the next book, Salt Lane. Deadland is a wonderful addition. Cupidi has had some of her rough edges knocked off by now, and William South from The Birdwatcher returns.

This is a series that character-driven readers should love. In Deadland, we have the added bonus of learning more about DC Jill Ferriter and why her choice of career says so much about her as a person. We also get to laugh a bit at her expense when it comes to her choice of shoes and her hero worship. Cupidi's seventeen-year-old daughter, Zoƫ, is growing up, too-- and she's showing all the signs of turning into a wonderful, strong human being, even though Cupidi's nerves may not survive the metamorphosis.

How the two subplots featuring Sloth and Tap and the arm in the sculpture merge together is compelling and addictive. I didn't want to stop reading until I'd reached the end. Shaw really ratchets up the suspense as the two boys keep one-half step ahead of the man tracking them down, and the arm in the sculpture was a real puzzler until the plot threads finally began to be woven together.

Deadland is a masterful bit of storytelling. If you're a fan of police procedurals (especially British ones), get your hands on a copy. If you're a fan of strong, multi-faceted characters, get your hands on a copy. If you want to submerge yourself in a story and not think about anything else, get your hands on a copy. (And I haven't even mentioned the atmospheric setting of the marshlands!) You could skip reading The Birdwatcher and Salt Lane and jump right into Deadland, but I'd advise against it. Why deprive yourself of such wonderful reading?

Deadland by William Shaw
ISBN: 9781786486608
riverrun © 2019
Hardcover, 480 pages

Police Procedural, #2 Alexandra Cupidi mystery
Rating: A+
Source: Purchased from Amazon UK. 

13 comments:

  1. I'm already intrigued, Cathy. First, I like character-driven novels. Second, the setting interests me. And I always like to see the way teens are portrayed (it's not as easy as it seems to write them!).

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    1. Shaw does a marvelous job-- Alexandra's daughter is huggable, sharp as a tack, and exasperating... sometimes all at the same time.

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  2. Sound like I need to catch up with the William Shaw books. I read Birdwatcher and like you did not care for Cupidi. However, when you mention character driven atmospheric British procedurals, I must read. Those are my favorite reads. I will read Salt Lane soon.

    Off topic- I am thinking of ordering BritBox or Acorn. Do you have a favorite?

    Thanks for the review.

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    1. I am SO glad I ignored my feelings toward Cupidi and read Salt Lane. I would've missed out on some wonderful storytelling!

      Britbox and Acorn work very well in tandem, but if I were forced to choose only one, I think Britbox has a slight edge. Hope this helps!

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  3. Yes. Yes. Yes. Agree on all points. I love this series and am avidly awaiting the next book in this series.
    I liked the character development, too. I also could not put down this book and raced through it.
    In sitting out this pandemic in my apartment, I feel somewhat adrift without a book in this series and one liike it. Nothing like a well-written book with interesting characters and fast-moving plot to absorb and distract a reader.
    Hurry up, William Shaw, with the next book.

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    1. Next month, if I'm not mistaken, although I was sad to see that it's listed as the last in the series.

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  4. I have both Birdwatcher and Salt Lane to try. And I will read them at some point. Nice to know that there's a 3rd when I get to it.

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    1. And it looks as though the series will stop at four, which is heartbreaking for some and a relief for others! LOL

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  5. I enjoyed both The Birdwatcher and Salt Lane and look forward to this one! The Dungeness setting is so different from other British police procedurals--no cozy English villages here.

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    1. Not at all! I think Shaw and Ann Cleeves are marvelous when it comes to describing landscapes like these.

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  6. Oh, no, the last one. Maybe he'll have a change of heart.

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    1. Maybe. But he might have had a set story arc in his mind, and when that story's told, it's time for him to move on. I still want to read his series set in the 1960s featuring Breen and Tozer.

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  7. Yes. That series looks good, too.

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