A Fatal Crossing by Tom Hindle
Written by Ashley Kelmore, Posted in Reviews
Four Stars
Best for:
Those looking for a straightforward mystery that holds a few twists.
In a nutshell:
Officer Birch is working on the Endeavor when a man dies, and another man – a detective from London – insists on investigating the death. Is it murder? An accident?
Worth quoting:
N/A
Why I chose it:
Had finish the author’s catalog as I’ve so enjoyed his other books.
Review:
Unlike the other three books Hindle has written that I have read, this book is told solely from the perspective of one character – Birch, an officer on a passenger ship heading from England to New York. But like the other books, the list of suspects is small. Not tiny – it is a ship of 2,000 people – but if there is a killer on board, they aren’t going anywhere until they dock in a few days’ time.
After an older man is found dead at the base of a staircase, Temple – a detective from London – insists on investigating it, and Birch is assigned to follow him. Temple is not pleased by this, and Birch himself is hesitant. Birch has experienced his own loss, and is struggling with it. But Birch agrees, and the rest of the book plays out while he Temple chase down clues and witnesses.
There is enough to keep the reader guessing, and the main twist is one I might have sort of seen coming, but not in the way it played out. And it was surprising enough that I audibly gasped. So that’s always fun in a mystery.
I’m sad though – that’s the last of his books (for now). But his next release comes out in January!
