Vanda Symon

CONTAINMENT is the third in the Sam Shephard series from New Zealand writer Vanda Symon. It's rapidly stepped up to be one of my all time favourite series for a whole bunch of reasons.

Firstly these are truly humorous books. Subtly, ever so slightly tongue in cheek, the humour is both self-deprecating and tension alleviating. My favourite sort. Sam's voice is particularly appealing - as she busily beats herself up mentally, leaving the physical assault to the scavengers on the beach in the show more case of CONTAINMENT. As mentioned in earlier reviews - because the books are told from Sam's point of view, her self-deprecation and self-analysis is part of what alleviates any sense of myopia or self-servitude that can sometimes occur with that viewpoint.

Secondly they are solid, believable, twisty and nicely complex plots. They are particularly believable and realistic in the setting in which the action takes place. Symon's small town or country New Zealand is a place where the crimes, the perpetrators, the cops and the victims all fit perfectly. Often the action starts out small-time and stays that way, in other cases things escalate rapidly, frequently slightly out of control and mostly inexplicably until everything just explodes around the cops and perpetrators ears!

Lastly, but not least of all, there are great characters in these books. The stand out is obviously Sam Shephard herself. The country cop who has moved to the bigger city, but not lost that practical, self-deprecating, country sensibility. Her awareness (and willingness to beat herself up) for her shortcomings, her understanding and forgiveness and care for those who surround her is .. here's those words again .. realistic and believable. Sam is definitely the sort of cop that you can well imagine running into at a crime scene, at the pub, in a hospital bed. Because she is a little accident prone. Mostly because of enthusiasm and concern for the job, partially because of a stubborn refusal to think things through totally, Sam spends more than a bit of time in her own physical or mental wars. Just to add to the mix, the course of true love gets smacked around the head pretty regularly by Sam, and the bosom of her loving family has it's own twists and turns.

Whilst Sam is definitely the star of her own show in these books, the supporting cast isn't one dimensional or off-camera. Her interactions with the other cops in her team, her boss, her parents, cop boyfriend and best friend Maggie are very good. Particularly her relationship with friend, flatmate and voice of reason Maggie. It's actually a fantastic element of these books - to have a strong, supportive and brutally honest relationship between two women drawn so clearly is a relatively rare occurrence, and it's done extremely well in these books - although Maggie is possibly slightly less present in CONTAINMENT than I recall her in the earlier books.

For all the gushing of this review, these books aren't just light-hearted entertainment. There are often elements in the plots which are unexpected, unpleasant even - characters that are expendable, deaths that are confrontational or emotional. The light-hearted touch of Symon doesn't conceal the reality of criminal activity, murder or mayhem. It just makes the lesson slightly more palatable. show less

The Ringmaster – Atmospheric and compelling

This is the second book in the Sam Shephard series from Vanda Symon, but this is my introduction to this feisty detective. Some how Vanda Symon has actually made Dunedin, in New Zealand sound interesting and not just about the Egg chasing.

Like most Brits, my experience of New Zealand is that it rather stuck in the twentieth century, and the 1960s are just about creep up on them. Oh, that and getting completely battered at Rugby by the All show more Blacks.

Vanda Symon has written an atmospheric and compelling thriller with plenty of twists and turns, a red herring or two that makes it captivating. She even makes you feel sorry for Cassie and the outcome there, nearly had a tear in my eye, but then I prefer them to humans.

Sam Shephard has moved from the one-eyed town she was previously they police officer for, where she had to do everything, to Dunedin where she gets to be the bottom of the ladder. Sam is doing her detective training in the city and has managed to get a place with Maggie’s (best friend) uncle and aunt in massive house with a view. Even though she can never get parked near the house or the police station for that matter.

When called out to the visiting circus she has to deal with animal rights activists and students making a stand about the use of animals at the circus. As a country girl she has a soft spot for animals and especially for Cassie who she gives some attention too on every, frequent visit.

When the body of a young student is found murdered at the side of a river, the investigation kicks into overdrive. As a member of the team, she is the punchbag for the Detective Inspector Johns as he just does not get on with her, but then the feelings are mutual.

While supposedly on the outside of the investigation she is kept in the loop and tries to understand what is happening. Even coming up with leads, whether they are relevant is a different matter. But by doing all the hard work it is Sam who discovers the truth behind the murder and has to make a dash of hope, when everyone else is busy elsewhere.

This is an excellent thriller with excellent characters and gives a total immersion into the investigation and how Sam is coping with everything going on. Atmospheric and compelling, Dunedin finally got interesting. show less

This is the fourth book in the Sam Shephard series – a great companion on walks.

Following a home invasion, a man is murdered and his wife is bound and gagged, left to watch. Two of Dunedin’s gangsters, suspected of the police shooting in Containment, are investigated, but Sam’s attention moves elsewhere when the body count continues to rise.

The plot follows the formula used in previous books: Sam solves the case despite her being blocked and/or sidelined by her boss D. I. Johns. As in show more the first three novels, Sam’s personal life provides complications. This time there’s the illness of her father, the difficult relationship with her mother, and a development which will change Sam’s life forever.

A favourite scene is Sam’s public challenging of her bullying boss. However, it is becoming difficult to understand how he is able to get away with his abuse. Surely such behaviour would not be tolerated in a work place, even a police station, in New Zealand?

There’s a twist at the end that is unnecessary and just feels so wrong on many levels. In particular, Sam’s behaviour towards her sister-in-law and her mother doesn’t make sense. Considering Sam’s thoughts and feelings as revealed earlier, her confrontation is illogical. I get that Sam is distraught and she does prioritize police work over her personal life, but really!!??

Of course the ambiguity of the ending, with two subplots unresolved, means readers will want to read the next installment. Expectant is on my iPod ready for tomorrow’s morning walk.

Note: Please check out my reader's blog (https://schatjesshelves.blogspot.com/) and follow me on Twitter (@DCYakabuski). show less

Bradley Fordyce, a middle-aged man unhappy with his life, impulsively picks up Billy, a homeless teenager who occasionally works as a prostitute. Misinterpreting her “reassuring smile” as a derisive smirk, he lashes out and keeps her captive in an abandoned warehouse he owns. While Bradley wrestles with what to do, Max, a homeless man who befriended Billy, becomes concerned when she doesn’t return to her usual sleeping spot. He sets out to find her even though doing so forces him to show more confront his past and the events which lead to his living on the streets of Auckland.

Faceless is identified as a thriller, and it certainly is one. At times, I found the suspense almost overwhelming. The last 20 percent of the book had me so anxious I read late into the night because I just had to find out what happens. The ticking clock in the book made me ignore the clock ticking on my bedside table.

The book has multiple points of view. Bradley, Billy and Max have the majority of brief chapters, but there are also ten giving the perspective of Meredith, one of Max’s former colleagues, in the latter part of the novel. The chapters presenting Billy’s viewpoint are in present tense, creating an even greater sense of urgency and immediacy. Alternating among characters creates suspense, especially when a chapter has a cliffhanger ending, but also increases the impression of a fast pace.

A great advantage of the multiple points of view is that readers come to know each of the characters intimately. As a consequence, we understand their motivations so that they emerge as believable characters. Max, for instance, at the beginning describes his relationship with Billy in almost dismissive terms: “she was nothing to him – well, other than company, and someone to talk to, share a fag with.” His obsession with finding her, however, makes total sense when Max’s past is revealed. Another character realizes there is more to his search: “’This isn’t just about Billy is it?’”

Creating a believable villain can be tricky, but Symon succeeds here too. Bradley feels unappreciated and “less and less in command of his life” so his satisfaction when he feels he has control over something is understandable, as is his conclusion that “He couldn’t give that up now.” He discovers dark depths within him. His justifications such as “It was all the girl’s fault” and “his conscience had finally allowed him to explore a different morality” clearly show him spiraling out of control. The author makes this downward spiral convincing.

Though a suspense novel, the book also touches on other topics. The situation of the homeless is emphasized. Max describes how he is largely ignored: “Most of the time he felt invisible, just one of the faceless, nameless lost minions of this city that the everyday people automatically filtered out of their consciousness.” Max has difficulty being taken seriously when he asks for help in finding Billy. Other themes are obvious: friendship, betrayal, loss, grief, and redemption.

Anyone wanting a real page-turner need look no further. Just be forewarned: you’ll be biting your nails and losing sleep!

Note: Please check out my reader's blog (https://schatjesshelves.blogspot.com/) and follow me on Twitter (@DCYakabuski). show less