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Scarborough Mysteries #3
The Art of Breathing
A room-full of people see Professor Harrison Peer fall to his death. But there is no body and, possibly, no crime for DS Theo Akande to investigate. Yet as he continues to delve through the polite surface of the Professor's academic world he discovers a disturbingly jealous underbelly. Meanwhile, as Hannah Poole is coming to terms with her late father’s secrets and lies, others also have to confront the past. However, it is someone active in today’s world who is turning out to be a clear and present danger. Akande merely has to work out who that someone is.
This isn’t gritty crime, this isn’t cosy crime, this isn’t police procedural. This is poetic storytelling which peels back the psychological layers to reveal the raw centre.
This is the third novel in the #ScarboroughMysteries series by Kate Evans. The first, The Art of the Imperfect, was long-listed for the Crime Writers Association debut dagger in 2015. Kate Evans is a writer of fiction, non-fiction and poetry. Her book, Pathways Through Writing Blocks in the Academic Environment, was published by Sense Publishers in 2013. She has an MA in Creative Writing from Sussex University and teaches on the Degree in Creative Writing at the University of Hull, Scarborough campus. She is trained as a psychotherapeutic counsellor. She loves walking by the sea and afternoon tea.
Praise for #ScarboroughMysteries
‘The first thing to mention is the writing style is incredibly strong. … The description through this book is brilliantly constructed so that I really felt completely immersed.’ Lizzy, My Little Book Blog
‘You can almost taste the salt. Scarborough provides an evocative, windswept setting for this crime novel that touches on various issues and buried secrets that trouble the perpetrators, victims and those investigating. It is character driven and its realism and attention to detail makes a smart, contemporary read that leaves enough unanswered questions about the main characters to fuel the next book in the series.’ J Hazell.
www.scarboroughmysteries.com
This isn’t gritty crime, this isn’t cosy crime, this isn’t police procedural. This is poetic storytelling which peels back the psychological layers to reveal the raw centre.
This is the third novel in the #ScarboroughMysteries series by Kate Evans. The first, The Art of the Imperfect, was long-listed for the Crime Writers Association debut dagger in 2015. Kate Evans is a writer of fiction, non-fiction and poetry. Her book, Pathways Through Writing Blocks in the Academic Environment, was published by Sense Publishers in 2013. She has an MA in Creative Writing from Sussex University and teaches on the Degree in Creative Writing at the University of Hull, Scarborough campus. She is trained as a psychotherapeutic counsellor. She loves walking by the sea and afternoon tea.
Praise for #ScarboroughMysteries
‘The first thing to mention is the writing style is incredibly strong. … The description through this book is brilliantly constructed so that I really felt completely immersed.’ Lizzy, My Little Book Blog
‘You can almost taste the salt. Scarborough provides an evocative, windswept setting for this crime novel that touches on various issues and buried secrets that trouble the perpetrators, victims and those investigating. It is character driven and its realism and attention to detail makes a smart, contemporary read that leaves enough unanswered questions about the main characters to fuel the next book in the series.’ J Hazell.
www.scarboroughmysteries.com
180 pages, Kindle Edition
Published October 18, 2016
1 person is currently reading
3 people want to read
About the author
Kate Evans
7 books32 followersNow living by the sea in Scarborough, Kate Evans is a writer of fiction, non-fiction and poetry.
She has an MA in Creative Writing from Sussex University. She was tutor-organiser on the Degree in Creative Writing at the University of Hull, Scarborough campus. She trained as a psychotherapeutic counsellor. She is interested in the connection between creativity and wellbeing and runs workshops supporting people to explore their creative sides.
Her book, Pathways Through Writing Blocks in the Academic Environment, was published by Sense Publishers in 2013. She self-published several crime novels and then got a contract with Constable for a crime series in 2020.
The Donna Morris mysteries are based in Scarborough. DC Donna Morris is a woman in her fifties who has moved to the town to be close to her wayward daughter. But Donna has secrets of her own which mean her own life slowly unravels. 'Awake of Crows' and 'Drowning Not Waving' are published in all formats. 'No Justice' has come out as an ebook and in hardback. It will be released in paperback in 2024.
She has an MA in Creative Writing from Sussex University. She was tutor-organiser on the Degree in Creative Writing at the University of Hull, Scarborough campus. She trained as a psychotherapeutic counsellor. She is interested in the connection between creativity and wellbeing and runs workshops supporting people to explore their creative sides.
Her book, Pathways Through Writing Blocks in the Academic Environment, was published by Sense Publishers in 2013. She self-published several crime novels and then got a contract with Constable for a crime series in 2020.
The Donna Morris mysteries are based in Scarborough. DC Donna Morris is a woman in her fifties who has moved to the town to be close to her wayward daughter. But Donna has secrets of her own which mean her own life slowly unravels. 'Awake of Crows' and 'Drowning Not Waving' are published in all formats. 'No Justice' has come out as an ebook and in hardback. It will be released in paperback in 2024.
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Displaying 1 - 2 of 2 reviews
November 9, 2016
The Art of Breathing by Kate Evans is a crime fiction novel and the third installment in the Scarborough Mysteries series. It follows the lives of Hannah Poole, Detective Sargent Theo Akande, and Aurora Harris as they navigate mental health and family issues, as well as investigate crimes in their small town. Because this is the third book in a series, I’ll keep some aspects of my review vague to avoid spoiling details from the first two novels.
When I read The Art of the Imperfect, I remember thinking that the novel read more like literary fiction (or even an extended prose poem) than a typical crime novel. While I enjoyed the gorgeous language, I found it difficult to keep track of the details at times. In The Art of Breathing, Evans has struck the perfect balance between poetic language and crime fiction. The novel includes the time-honored tropes of the crime genre, but the writing itself retains that beautiful, lilting character that sets Evans’s work apart. As someone who doesn’t always like the gritty/punchy feel of crime novels, Evans’ style is perfect for me.
Without spoiling anything, I’ll say that the plot is complete, intriguing, and comes with a few little twists (one of them is just … brilliant). However, even with a strong plot, I believe that the characters are the true jewel of The Art of Breathing. They are well-crafted and complex, and (as I’ll discuss below) serve as fantastic vehicles for Evans to explore important social themes. Where Evans’ character creation is particularly strong is their versatility – at times, they can be difficult to like (especially Hannah, with her self-destructive thoughts and behaviors), but they also elicit waves of empathy from the reader. A difficult task for a writer to accomplish.
In my own writing, I place a great deal of importance on examining social issues, so I really enjoy novels with strong thematic weight. The Art of Breathing, Evans manages to display both sides of several dark themes (sexual assault, adultery, murder, etc.) in a way that makes the reader question previously held assumptions. Her characters provide riveting case studies of mental health and social concerns (depression, PTSD, homophobia, racism, etc.), and after spending the novel with them, I truly felt like I came away with a better understanding of how people facing these issues live. That’s the power of great fiction – it deepens your perspective on reality and allows you to live other lives.
The Art of Breathing (and the rest of the Scarborough Mysteries series) isn’t your cookie-cutter crime fiction. It’s a study of human character, an examination of Western society, and a beautiful tribute to language … all wrapped up in a murder mystery. Strongly recommended for literary fiction readers who want a gentle entrance into crime fiction, and crime readers who are looking for a refreshing take on the genre.
When I read The Art of the Imperfect, I remember thinking that the novel read more like literary fiction (or even an extended prose poem) than a typical crime novel. While I enjoyed the gorgeous language, I found it difficult to keep track of the details at times. In The Art of Breathing, Evans has struck the perfect balance between poetic language and crime fiction. The novel includes the time-honored tropes of the crime genre, but the writing itself retains that beautiful, lilting character that sets Evans’s work apart. As someone who doesn’t always like the gritty/punchy feel of crime novels, Evans’ style is perfect for me.
Without spoiling anything, I’ll say that the plot is complete, intriguing, and comes with a few little twists (one of them is just … brilliant). However, even with a strong plot, I believe that the characters are the true jewel of The Art of Breathing. They are well-crafted and complex, and (as I’ll discuss below) serve as fantastic vehicles for Evans to explore important social themes. Where Evans’ character creation is particularly strong is their versatility – at times, they can be difficult to like (especially Hannah, with her self-destructive thoughts and behaviors), but they also elicit waves of empathy from the reader. A difficult task for a writer to accomplish.
In my own writing, I place a great deal of importance on examining social issues, so I really enjoy novels with strong thematic weight. The Art of Breathing, Evans manages to display both sides of several dark themes (sexual assault, adultery, murder, etc.) in a way that makes the reader question previously held assumptions. Her characters provide riveting case studies of mental health and social concerns (depression, PTSD, homophobia, racism, etc.), and after spending the novel with them, I truly felt like I came away with a better understanding of how people facing these issues live. That’s the power of great fiction – it deepens your perspective on reality and allows you to live other lives.
The Art of Breathing (and the rest of the Scarborough Mysteries series) isn’t your cookie-cutter crime fiction. It’s a study of human character, an examination of Western society, and a beautiful tribute to language … all wrapped up in a murder mystery. Strongly recommended for literary fiction readers who want a gentle entrance into crime fiction, and crime readers who are looking for a refreshing take on the genre.
May 7, 2017
A satisfying complex crime set on a University campus I have visited many times. The affects of childhood experiences on adult relationships are explored with insight and this is very timely.
Displaying 1 - 2 of 2 reviews