As part of his mental rehab following the devastating injury he suffered in the last book, Simon retreats to the island of Taransay for some time to consider whether he wants to go back to work once his permanent prosthesis is in place. But work seeks him out, as he is drawn into the investigation of a strange death on the island, and his boss asks him to review a cold case in which a relative of a missing girl is agitating for a re-opening, which there isn't the manpower for. It's late-night page-turning stuff, as usual. At the rather shocking end of the last book, I wondered if Hill knew what she was doing. But that was silly, of course. This one has the kind of ending that could spell the finale of the series, but doesn't HAVE to. Recommended if you've been following our man Simon up to this point. ( )

Chief Superintendent Simon Serrailler wakes in hospital to learn that his left arm has been seriously damaged (I assume in a previous case). Complications occur and the arm is amputated. He travels to a remote Scottish island to recuperate. His nephew Sam visits, uncertain of his future plans. Back in Lafferton there are a series arsons and a local mother insists that the police reopen the case of her missing daughter. The police were sure that a man later arrested for two other killings was responsible but lacked evidence for a conviction. Serrailler's boss asks him to review the file, but before he can start, a local woman on the island disappears. Serrailler finds himself working on both cases somewhat off the book while concerned about his nephew and with his own future once his arm is ready for the advanced prosthetic. Complex plot with several viewpoint characters and unexpected plot twists. Probably best enjoyed by those familiar with the series.

The ninth installment in Hill's excellent Simon Serailler series, which sort of hits the reboot button and sets things up nicely for the next (presumably, anyway). Not quite so dark as the last couple of volumes. ( )

The first I'd read of this prolific author and I was impressed. Although this story had a number of the crime clichés, a loner policeman who finds relationships difficult, it also contained some interesting other unusual characters and sub-plots. One of these was Cat, the sister of the main character, a locum GP who was considering private practice to get away from the treadmill of NHS practice - a very contemporary theme. A major sub-plot takes place on Taransay, actually an uninhabited island in Scotland used in the TV series Castaway, but most of the action is in fictional Lafferton. Strong characters and intriguing plots make me want to read more about Simon Serailler and his family. ( )

This is the ninth in the Simon Serrailler mystery series, which consists of books focusing less on the crimes themselves and more on the lives of people who interact with Detective Chief Superintendent Serrailler, whether his family members or those he is investigating.

In this novel, Serrailler is recuperating from an injury incurred on the job in the previous book. He has gone to remote Taransay, an island in the Outer Hebrides of Scotland, and because he is the only available police detective around, finds himself involved in a sticky murder investigation. This helps distract him from the PTSD he incurred after his previous trauma. His time is also taken up by notes on a cold case at home involving a missing girl, a case which the Chief Constable has asked him to review during his sick leave.

Back in fictional Lafferton, a Cathedral city in the South of England, Simon’s sister Cat is dealing with a new marriage, a possible new job, and the arrival of her father, Richard, returned from France and needing a place to live. His visit, like always, causes chaos in the lives of his family. In addition, Cat’s oldest son Sam, much like the other characters, is struggling with who and what he wants to be.

In this series, because Cat is a doctor, we also hear a great deal about the medical system, and the problems of treating patients in an era of budget cuts.

While the crimes, both old and new, get solved in the end, one doesn’t read Susan Hill for the mysteries, but rather the ongoing psychological analyses she performs on her characters, and for the realistic nature of their messy lives.

Discussion: This series is not for those who want a fast-paced carnival ride with well-hidden criminals and life-threatening close calls. This book can be read as a standalone, although you will feel as if you are missing some plot threads. The author had several perfectly reasonable opportunities to fill readers in on what transpired before, such as Simon’s injury, but somewhat inexplicably forewent them.

Evaluation: This isn’t a bad series, but it is one I read mainly because I have read many of the books in it already, and so it makes for “easier” reading since I already “know” the characters and the setting. ( )