Simon Mason (1) (1962–)

The Woman Who Laughed follows the 'Finder', an Iraqi man named Talib, who works with the police to try and locate missing people. It's the third in the series but I haven't read the previous two (I want to now, though!) and it doesn't matter as each case is a self-contained story.

The Finder is called to Sheffield to investigate why now, five years after her disappearance and presumed murder, the bag belonging to sex worker, Ella Bailey, has suddenly turned up, hanging on the doorway of a show more café. The journey to the truth takes the Finder on a twisting and turning search of the streets of Sheffield and Chesterfield.

Sense of place is incredibly strong in this book. Being from Sheffield, that really appealed to me and made it all the more interesting as I could imagine the neighbourhoods that the Finder was visiting. The book itself is not a long one at 224 pages but it kept me engrossed and threw quite a few red herrings into the mix.

I thought The Woman Who Laughed was a really great read. It's suspenseful, dark and mysterious and the determination of the Finder to learn the truth comes through in his every word, as the whole story is told in his own narrative alongside his reading of a classic novel, in this case Jane Austen's Persuasion. A highly enjoyable, pared back read with an enigmatic protagonist. show less

I bought this book largely on the basis of a couple of highly favourable reviews I read in the newspapers, which flagged it up for a fresh take on the police procedural novel. Of course, one has heard that about several books before: sometimes deservedly; sometimes less so.

On this occasion the reviews that I read were spot on. It revolves around a murder in Barnabas Hall, one of Oxford’s oldest colleges, with the victim found in the Provost’s lodgings. The first policeman on the scene is show more Detective Inspector Ryan Wilkins. Although he had grown up in one of the poorer areas of the city, this is his first day on duty, having just been transferred in from the Wiltshire Constabulary. His attendance there is a mistake. The call should have gone to his near namesake, Detective Inspector Raymond ‘Ray’ Wilkins, Ray could not be more different from Ryan. He is African-Caribbean, from a prosperous West London suburb, and is a graduate from one of Oxford’s colleges (although not Barnabas Hall). The clash of cultures between a streetwise copper who has made it despite, rather than because of, his origins with someone who has been picked up for the fast track and has already acquired the support of senior officers is fairly standard, but Mason puts some additional twists on it.

The plot is also strong, and stands up on its own right, rather than simply as a vehicle for the contrast between the two Inspector Wilkins. Although this has only just been published in hardback, the edition I read also featured the first two chapters from the next instalment, to which I am already eagerly looking forward. show less

If you disregard the unlikelihood of Ryan ever having been promoted to DI in the first place (let alone by the age of 27), and the improbability that a murder case would be worked by two DIs, a civilian support worker and no one else, then this is a fantastic read. I loved Ray and Ryan and enjoyed every word. Looking forward to the next one.

For my listening during morning walks, I thought I’d try a new series. This is the first of the Finder Mysteries focused on Talib, a specialist in finding people.

In 2015, 12-year-old Alice Johnson went missing from Sevenoaks, southeast of London, and was never found. Nine years later the body of another girl is found and a man named Vince Burns is charged. Police also suspect him in Alice’s disappearance so they hire the Finder to find anything that may have been missed in the initial show more investigation. He interviews those who knew Alice and learns about a girl who seems an enigma. Witness statements often paint contradictory impressions of the young girl. Which was the real Alice and what happened to her?

Talib remains much of a mystery since little is learned about him. He was born in Iraq and his parents were killed in a bomb attack. Perhaps more of his backstory will be revealed in later installments in the series. What does emerge is his personality: he is intelligent, determined, thorough, and compassionate. He is also self-controlled so not easily ruffled.

This is not an action-packed book since the focus is the investigation of a cold case. The Finder interviews people and decides on a course of action based on what he discovers after each conversation. This is a quiet, measured detective story which is cleverly plotted. It works well as an audiobook.

I liked that there are lots of clues throughout. Even the book Talib is reading provides insight into Alice and suggests possible motivations. I appreciated one character’s comment that people sometimes present contradictory versions of themselves to different people. And there is some thematic depth in this short novel; it examines the impact of a missing person on those left behind – family, acquaintances, and the community as a whole.

I really enjoyed this unassuming book so I’ve already downloaded the second book in the series, The Case of the Lonely Accountant. A third book, The Woman Who Laughed, is scheduled for release in 2025. show less