Mysterious Reviews, mysteries reviewed by the Hidden Staircase Mystery Books, is publishing a new review of Waterloo Sunset by Martin Edwards. For our blog readers, we are printing it first here in advance of its publication on our website.
Waterloo Sunset by Martin Edwards
A Harry Devlin Mystery
Poisoned Pen Press (Hardcover)
ISBN-10: 1-59058-441-4 (1590584414)
ISBN-13: 978-1-59058-441-5 (9781590584415)
Publication Date: April 2008
List Price: $24.95
Synopsis (from the publisher): A notice announcing that Harry Devlin died suddenly on Midsummer’s Eve arrives at the office of his law firm one June day. Harry isn’t happy to read it – especially as Midsummer’s Eve is less than a week away. His partner Jim Crusoe treats the message as a joke, but Harry isn’t so sure. From that moment on, his world starts to fall apart. Who is his unknown enemy? The list of people who might want rid of him lengthens, and soon someone close to him is savagely attacked and left for dead.
Meanwhile, young women are being murdered in Harry’s home city of Liverpool. When a friend who has asked to meet him becomes the latest victim, Harry is dragged into the investigation and becomes a suspect. He finds himself fighting for survival on two fronts. But even as he unravels the shocking secret behind the murders, the clock keeps ticking. Harry must discover and confront the enemy who wants him dead - if he is to live to see Midsummer’s Day.
Review: Liverpool attorney Harry Devlin attempts to prevent the published announcement of his death from becoming reality in Waterloo Sunset, the eighth mystery in this series by Martin Edwards.
One day in mid-June Harry notices a blank envelope on his desk with no name or return address. He opens the envelope to find his own death notice, declaring that he is to die on Midsummer’s Eve. At first, he and his law partner, Jim Crusoe, think this to be someone’s idea of a practical joke. After all, who would want to see Harry dead? And why on Midsummer’s Eve? Shortly thereafter Jim is savagely beaten and left for dead. After the meaningless attack on Jim had set in, Harry’s thoughts turn to the subject of his own death. The notice of his death was not a prank. Someone was setting out to kill him. In the meantime, three women have been killed. They were all strangled, their tongues cut out. Was this the work of a single person, or was there a copycat involved? Or was this the work of the person who wanted Harry dead, practicing for the final kill?
Although he is not a criminal lawyer, Harry starts making a list of past clients who may have not received satisfactory verdicts in their cases and may have blamed him. And then he finds himself a suspect in the murders of the women. He had an appointment to meet one the women at the place and time she was killed. He claimed he was there, but she didn’t show up. To save himself (both literally and figuratively), Harry starts an investigation to find who hurt Jim and who killed the women. All the while, he must keep himself vigilant and aware that there is still someone out there who wants him dead.
Waterloo Sunset is a winning whodunit. There are many suspects, and many more who probably should be but aren't. The intricately plotted storyline keeps the reader guessing as to how the seemingly unconnected crimes could be related. The stunning conclusion that brings a climatic closure to Midsummer's Eve is completely unexpected and justifies how terrific this book really is.
Special thanks to guest reviewer Betty of The Betz Review for contributing her review of Waterloo Sunset and to Poisoned Pen Press for providing an ARC of the book for this review.
Review Copyright © 2008 — Hidden Staircase Mystery Books — All Rights Reserved.
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