A Question of Identity: A Simon Serrailler Mystery (edition 2012)

This is the first book I have read by this author. It is the latest in a series. English setting, always a favorite of mine. I liked the book. I am always intrigued with the characters in any new series I find. There are plenty of characters to learn , explore in this book . There are hints of ongoing stories and more to come in future books. I think I will read the first book in the series and then see how I feel. ( )

Probably the best book in the Serrailler series I've read! A brilliant crime novel where we are taken inside the mind of the killer. The book starts with some brief thoughts from the killer and then we are taken back to 2002 and a court case where a sadistic killer is found not guilty due to some fancy witness questioning on the stand. Now in the present Simon is faced with a series of murders that fit the same MO but upon discovering the previous case that man is found to have disappeared without a trace. All throughout the story the narrative switches occasionally to the killer's thoughts sometimes brief paragraphs others a couple of pages long and we are taken inside his mind to see what makes him tick, why he does what he does and what he gets out of it. A consuming read that I just could not put down! I would love to have given this full 5 stars but unfortunately I did figure out who the killer was as soon as the character appeared in the book; after his first scene he just didn't appear sincere to me and I didn't doubt for a second he would end up being the killer so I was kind of disappointed as I raced to the final few pages to find out that I had been right all along. BTW, we do know the killer is a he right from the beginning so no spoiler there. I'm prone to figuring out "whodunit" though so I've only docked the book 1/2 a star because otherwise I found this a brilliant read. ( )

This is the first book I have read by this author. It is the latest in a series. English setting, always a favorite of mine. I liked the book. I am always intrigued with the characters in any new series I find. There are plenty of characters to learn , explore in this book . There are hints of ongoing stories and more to come in future books. I think I will read the first book in the series and then see how I feel. ( )

I first 'discovered' Susan Hill about this time last year when I read The Betrayal of Trust - the sixth in her Simon Serrailler Crime novels. (my review). I was really looking forward to her latest - A Question of Identity - and I wasn't disappointed!

A Question of Identity opens with an italicized paragraph that hints at a dark mind and darker things to come....deliciously creepy.

"It's like your brain's bursting. It doesn't happen all at once, it builds up. And then your brain's going to burst until you do something about it. You do it. You have to do it. Then it's all right again for a bit, 'til it starts again."

The book opens with a murder trial from 2002 - three elderly women have been horrifically murdered in their homes, strangled with a piece of electrical cord. The verdict is not what was expected.

Cut to present day and DCI Simon Serrailler, who works in Lafferton, an English town not far from London. And a new murder to investigate - an elderly woman has been killed in her home - strangled with a length of electrical cord........

What makes this series a stand out for me? Hill successfully combines a riveting and clever mystery with characters that I'm genuinely interested in. Both plot lines are done equally well. Those new to the series may have a wee bit of difficulty getting to know everyone at first, but will quickly become engrossed in their personal stories. Simon, his sister Cat and her family, the elder Serailler and his wife as well as the supporting cast from the station. Hill explores everyday life with a keen and discerning eye - sibling rivalry, depression, domestic abuse and more are all touched upon and examined realistically.

Back to the crime - at the opening of every chapter we are privy to more and more of the killer's thoughts. His violence and madness is escalating. I was able to suss out who the killer was midway, but it certainly didn't detract from my enjoyment of this book. Instead, it really heightened the tension.

The crime is solved by the end, but the lives of Simon et al are far from settled - I can't wait to see what direction Hill takes in the next book.

I love British procedurals and this author is one of the best. Truly, if you're looking for an intelligent mystery series, pick up Susan Hill. ( )

Just the sort of mystery I like - an intelligent, thoughtful police procedural. ( )