December 2021 Value Read - Under Violent Skies, by Judi Daykin

[Bill]

Just started it and found myself in a favourite setting. Had the pleasure of staying in Maundesley a few years back whilst visiting my brilliant niece Violet who was a fellow at UEA in Norwich.

[Bill]

Even better - Sara and I drive Fiat 500s.

[Beth]

Am just starting this one and am impressed! Is promising to be a good read

[Bill]

About 2/3 of the way through and love the setting.

[Bill]

For me, the setting on the Norfolk coast was near perfect. A few years ago I had the good fortune to spend Holy Week visiting my brilliant niece Violet in Norwich, where she was a fellow at UEA, whilst staying at The Manor Hotel in Mundesley. Much of Under Violent Skies takes place within a few kilometres near Happisburgh, though I was annoyed by a reference to ‘Swaffham, wherever that was’ – the town features the beautiful parish church of St. Peter & St. Paul, that could easily pass for the setting of Dorothy Sayers’ The Nine Taylors. And I well recall the bridge at Wroxham, which recurs even steeper in my dreams. Sara Hirst is a London DS of mixed English and Jamaican parentage who has had herself assigned to Norwich in search of her father who disappeared from her life when she was young. We learn fairly early in the story that he is the murder victim in the case Sara is investigating. Naturally this creates a conflict of interest that could imperil the legal status of the result of the enquiry, which made me rather annoyed with Sara’s lack of professionalism. She regards the Norwich squad as racist provincials whilst they see her as a big-city interloper depriving them of deserved promotions. Besides the murder, we also have a nasty gang of agricultural workers from eastern Europe and a lot of missing Land Rover Defenders – these are the Land Rovers that actually work for a living, unlike the Chelsea Tractor Range Rovers. I found the subplot involving the crop picking gang unpleasantly nasty and too violent, involving abuse of women that seemed gratuitous to the story. Though this is the first of a series featuring Sara and set on the Norfolk coast, I’m not sure whether or not I’ll follow her adventures. The setting brings back so many good memories, but burning up someone alive – even though he thoroughly deserved it – seemed excessive. Still, I’d love to pass more time in East Anglia. At one point in this story, the Norwich officers find themselves in Ipswich being patronised as provincials by the Suffolk officers. I’m not sure which county to prefer: the balcony of the Royal Norfolk and Suffolk Yacht Club overlooking the harbour at Lowestoft the evening before the Harwich race or the stalls of Norwich Cathedral at choral evensong. Either would be heaven.

[Pat]

Under Violent Skies, by Judi Daykin
The story drew me in and kept me reading long after I should have put it down. While not all characters were attractive, they rarely all are in murder mysteries, and I found characterization realistic. The writing was well done and didn't intrude itself between me and the story. I'm giving this read a 4 rating.

[Beth]

While I enjoyed the book, I think as a mystery it was disappointing. There was no mystery, really, as to who killed Sara's father and without the input from Lenka. I certainly wouldn't say that it was a police procedural. I agree with Bill that Sara lacked professionalism and because of that, I didn't particularly warm to her.

I can see where this book suggests a followup but, based on this one, I likely won't follow the series.

I will give it a 3-star rating.

[Lorraine]

Just finished this and it was a real slog. I nearly gave up after Crane was killed due to the fact we knew who was to blame. I didn't like sarah, i should think the met were glad to be rid of her, i thought she was pathetic.

I saw on the authors Amazon page there are another 2 books inthis series, i won't be reading them.

I give this book 2.5* rounded up to 3* purely on the basis that there were no spelling or grammatical errors.