Efka's Reviews > Troubled Blood

Back again in an old Land Rover, together with Robin and Corm, I can only say that I yet again enjoyed a lot connecting with the couple again. Sure, 944 pages is quite a lot, especially for a detective, but I actually can approve the count. The current case is a 40-year old, dusty and forgotten, and in order to crack it lots and lots of work had to be done. I actually liked the meticulous writing of each and every little step and breakthroughs the couple of detectives had to take, resulting in that huge amount of pages. I usually have a problem with some other books of this genre because of exactly the opposite reason - everything moves so fast and gets solved so swiftly, that you might think that murder investigation is a very quick and easy job.

The only reason I'm downgrading this to 4 stars (4 really strong stars, to be precise) are these two reasons: first, everyone Strike and/or Robin interviews talks lots and loads about the events that happened 40 years ago. I, for instance, wouldn't remember something that transpired three years ago in a so crystal clear way these people - elder people - do remember after living almost half a century after these events, so I consider it a bit far-fetched. The second one is the villain. I just didn't buy h**. Can't imagine that level of neglect in police work.

And finally - a short comment on that online shitstorm and all those 1* reviews.

I really do not get what's the fuss about it. My only logical explanation is that these people, who engage in screaming out loud about this book, either have nothing better to do, or they are pretty much unstable. I've read the book intently and my honest experience is that there is absolutely no reason to despise it.

4* and waiting for another one.