Black as night

I am a huge fan of the “whodunnit?” novel! If you are like me, easily engaged in a well-written and intricately woven crime thriller that leaves you guessing, well this one is for you. However, this is not the fast-paced James Patterson type of storyline, this is the slow, drawn-out type of crime that delves deep into the characters psyche, giving you more of a psychological thrill than an action based crime.

It is a cold January morning and Shetland lies buried beneath a deep layer of snow. Trudging home, Fran Hunter’s eye is drawn to the vivid splash of colour on the white ground, ravens circling above. It is the strangled body of her teenage neighbour Catherine Ross. As Fran opens her mouth to scream, the ravens continue their deadly dance…

The locals on the quiet island stubbornly focus their gaze on one man - loner and simpleton Magnus Tait. But when police insist on opening out the investigation, a veil of suspicion and fear is thrown over the entire community. For the first time in years, Catherine’s neighbours nervously lock their doors, whilst a killer lives on in their midst.

Ann Cleeves, author of the Inspector Ramsay series has created a riveting read. The story is set amid a small, close-nit town where secrets run deep and there is a sinister undercurrent to the “picture perfect” town. The setting also heightens the trill of the novel; it is cold, snowing, harsh, haunting and at times barren. Not a nice place for a murder, and definitely not the type of town you would think something like this would happen…but it does and everyone is a suspect.

Without giving too much away, the plot does seem to be very predicable at the start, think of the classic crime where a seemingly provocative girl dies… it might seem like a genre overworked, however the plot of Raven Black takes several detours and tantalises you with its guessing game.

An interesting cast of characters has been created to give it a full bodied and life-like quality. There is the regular cast of characters: the loner with the sordid past, the local police sheriff, the out of town sheriff, the rich and seemingly powerful couple, the single mother and so on. Each character has a richly defined place and part to play in the novel, adding to the flavour and of course most importantly the widespread fear of anyone having done it. No one is to be trusted, however no one seems to have a motive, you just don’t know who is telling the truth.

Raven Black is a satisfying read, it may seem a little slow at the start but it certainly has a frenzied finish. However, it does deserve credit for the pace because it works in perfect harmony with the eerie and unsuspecting plot and setting…in a seemingly innocent and tranquil town the murderer could be anyone. Cleeve treats the reader to many classic crime-plotting ideals, but has also integrated some of her own witty storylines.

Lock your doors if reading this one and keep an eye on your neighbours!

Michele Perry

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Raven Black

Author: Ann Cleeves
Publisher: Macmillan
Price: $32.95 (HC)