Wednesday, April 07, 2021

On My Radar: William Shaw's The Trawlerman!

 
 
 
If you've been reading my blog for a while (bless you!), you know that I am a huge fan of William Shaw's D.S. Alexandra Cupidi mysteries. If you haven't, all you have to do is read my reviews of the books in this series (The Birdwatcher, Salt Lane, Deadland, and Grave's End), all set on the atmospheric southeast coast of England.

Once you've done that, you know for a fact that I did my patented (although rather disjointed) Happy Dance when I learned that the next book in the series will be released soon. Let me tell you more about it!


Available May 13, 2021!
Synopsis: 

"The naked corpses of Aylmer and Mary Younis are discovered in their home. The only clues are a note written in blood and an eerie report of two spectral figures departing the crime scene. Officer Jill Ferriter is charged with investigating the murders while her colleague Alex Cupidi is on leave, recovering from post-traumatic stress.

The dead couple had made investments in a green reforestry scheme in Guatemala, resulting in the loss of all their savings. What is more disturbing is that Cupidi and Ferriter's disgraced former colleague and friend Bill South is also on the list of investors and the Younis's were not the only losers.

Despite being in counselling and receiving official warnings to stay away from police work Cupidi finds herself dragged into the case and begins to trawl among the secrets and lies that are held in the fishing community of Folkestone. Desperate to exonerate South she finds herself murderously compromised when personal relationships cloud her judgement.

Pacey, intense and riddled with surprising twists, The Trawlerman shows that deceit can be found in the most unlikely places. The brooding waters of the Kent coastline offer an ominous backdrop for this lively page-turner of corruption, mental health and the complexities of human connection."
 
 
Sounds like a good'un, doesn't it? If you're new to this series, I would suggest that you begin with The Birdwatcher because of the character development. Although it's not listed as the first book in the series, it does introduce you to Alex Cupidi and other important characters that feature prominently in subsequent books. 

How much do I want to read this book, you ask? Enough that I've ordered it from the UK, that's how much!

28 comments:

  1. This really does look appealing, Cathy! I know what a Shaw fan you are, so I'm especially happy for you that this one's on the way. I love that feeling, when a top author is about to release a new book. Nothing like it, is there?

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  2. Yes very appealing. I'm always on the lookout for new series in this genre.

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  3. Uh, oh, I can see the credit card bill mounting. This is very tempting. I like the Cupici/South series very much, too. Even though the last book contained a few of my pet peeves, I am loyal to these two characters and this series. And I know why Alexandra Cupidi has PTSD; it's related to my being irked at a few plot points. But since she is getting counseling, I assume she will recover and contribute to the investigation.
    So I'm hiding my credit card now; hopefully, I won't remember where I put it.

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    1. Something tells me you'll remember. I always do.

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  4. Do you order from UK Amazon or Book Depository?

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    1. I always used to order from Book Depository, but after Amazon bought the company, it really doesn't make any difference. The free shipping from BD used to arrive in a timely manner, but now I think they strap my order to the back of a tortoise and give it vague instructions to "head West." So... sometimes I order from BD and sometimes from Amazon UK. More and more often, I find myself ordering the same UK editions from The Poisoned Pen. They cost more, but I think it's worth it.

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  5. Does PP get in the British editions early?

    I'm thinking I just got the relief/stimulus check and I will treat myself to a few books. First: The Night Hawks. Second: The Trawlerman. (And I may have to ask what that means in England. It's not commonly used here, although trawler is.)

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    1. Sometimes they do, sometimes they don't. I think it's got a lot to do with the deals they have with the publishers and the authors. A lot of their UK editions are signed.

      I have an ARC of The Night Hawks, so I don't feel an irresistible urge to buy a physical copy.

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  6. Since publishers of books and media are now trying to degender words, it would probably be "trawler worker" in most publications today in the U.S.

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    1. I would imagine that US publishers would change the title of this book, not necessarily due to gender but due to the fact that most people don't have a clue what a trawlerman is and would most likely walk past the book in a shop unless they knew the author.

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  7. Yes, I didn't know what a trawlerman was until I looked it up. It is an obscure word in the States. But there is a concerted effort to degender words in many publishing companies and media. Like we'd see "brake ooperator," rather than "brakeman" or "firefighter" rather than "fireman." I know the TV news does this.

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  8. Yes, publishers will probably rename the book for U.S. readers who won't recognize "trawlerman." I never saw it until I read this review.

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    1. My grandfather and father were in the US Navy. My husband was in the Royal Navy. I like reading about maritime history. "Trawler" or "trawlerman" was familiar to me.

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  9. You have an extraordinary history in the area of maritime history.

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  10. What can I add? My great-uncle was a bookie and bootlegger. One grandfathre was a journalist/report, the other owned a cigar/candy kiosk in Newark train station. Two uncles were in the army during WWII, one was in the Philippines. The other I do not know. No one talked about it.

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    1. Have you ever watched a PBS series called "Finding Your Roots"? It's often fascinating and has turned out to be one of my favorite programs to watch.

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  11. I love that program and see it when I can. I'd love to do it myself, but I have done 23 and Me and learned some things, but nothing really new. i'd like to learn more about the Irish families, as I know more about the Eastern European Jewish family becaue I knew so many of those relatives.

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    1. Too bad we don't have an "in" with Henry Louis Gates, Jr., isn't it? I know next to nothing about my father's family.

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  12. Have you done 23 and Me or another ancestry site's analysis.

    I'd like to do another website at some point.

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  13. For some reason, my library system doesn't seem to own a single copy of the third book in the series, Deadland, and I'm determined to read the series in order. I've not thought to order it for some reason, but seeing you reach out to the UK for this new one has finally motivated me. I do love this series...and strongly second your recommendation to begin with The Birdwatcher.

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    1. I wish William Shaw would catch on over here, then we fans wouldn't have such problems.

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  14. One can order a used copy of a book at Abe Books. I just did that with an Ace Atkins book in the voice of Robert Parker's Spenser books. I ordered a used hardback. It came in great condition. But what was more amazing is that Atkins has Parker's style and voice exactly. It's as if Parker wrote the book.
    I could not put the book down and I laughed throughout.

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