REVIEW

Review - SURRENDER, Donna Malane

Reviewed By
Karen Chisholm

The first book in the Diane Rowe series, SURRENDER is part of a two book series (MY BROTHER'S KEEPER is out now), set in Wellington, New Zealand, featuring a private investigator scenario that makes a huge amount of sense.

Diane Rowe is an ex-cop and now missing person's expert. Her marriage to still serving cop Sean fell apart as she struggled to cope with the murder of her younger sister Niki (all of which happened before this book), and now Sean now finds himself investigating the murder of the man everyone believes is Niki's killer. Which investigation Rowe cannot help but interfere with - even though she's warned off by everyone.

Told from Rowe's point of view, the action is fast moving and the style is witty, pointed and nicely nuanced. Rowe's a strong character who will be the sort of wise-cracking, self-doubting, frequently daft but undeniably brave, and dedicated female character that reader's are either going to get, or hate. But she does work really well - holds the central viewpoint strongly, is believable and understandable. There's a strong sense of humour built into Rowe - even when she's grieving her sister, even when she's just got herself into a tricky situation. Her relationship with her now ex-husband is really well done, as are the trials and tribulations of someone you love moving on, and what Rowe is going to do about her own personal life.

It doesn't hurt that she's an animal lover and now owner of an ex-police dog who is a character in these books in his own right. It also doesn't hurt that the central investigaion is balanced against the discovery of a long dead body, deep in the New Zealand bush, who Rowe is called upon to identify.

As happens all too frequently around here, I read the second book first, which really made me want to go back to the start of the series and get Rowe's backstory from the outset. The missing person expert angle is an elegant way of getting Rowe into all sorts of situations, and the style with it's lighter touch, and slightly wacky female protoganist is increasingly common in the mystery world. Which means that fans of this sort of book have lots to choose from, particularly with a more local flavour.

BOOK DETAILS
BOOK INFORMATION
Author
ISBN
9780473174149
Year of Publication
Series
Book Number (in series)
1
BLURB

"A detective as tough as the country she comes from..."

Missing persons expert Diane Rowe is used to making sense of other people's lives. It's just a pity she's not having much luck with her own.

The brutal murder of her little sister, Niki, and the break-up of her marriage have tested her usual tough optimism. When Niki's killer turns up dead, Diane is determined to nail the truth, despite the best efforts of her policeman ex-husband to sideline her.

But uncovering Niki's seedy past reveals truths and dangers she never expected, or wanted, to face. Diane is determined to make sense of it all - whatever it takes.

Review Review - SURRENDER, Donna Malane
Karen Chisholm
Wednesday, August 27, 2014
Blog Currently Reading - Surrender, Donna Malane
Karen Chisholm
Monday, August 25, 2014

Add new comment

This is a book review site, with no relationship whatsoever with any of the authors mentioned here.

We do not provide a method for you to contact authors for any reason and comments of this nature are automatically deleted.

This question is for testing whether or not you are a human visitor and to prevent automated spam submissions.