Silvermeadow

While investigating the return of a sociopathic bank robber to England, Detective Chief Inspector David Brock and Sergeant Kathy Kolla are bamboozled into also looking into the disappearance of a 14-year-old schoolgirl. Both of the otherwise unconnected crimes do have one commonality: Both have a connection to Silvermeadow, a state-of-the-art enclosed mall that boasts over 1 million square feet of retail space and 26 food courts. One character calls it the third-largest mall in Europe, making it clear that author Barry Maitland modeled the fictional Silvermeadow on Meadowhall in Yorkshire or Intu Lakeside in Essex. To say anymore than that is to give the game away.

How suspenseful is Silvermeadow? Using the audio version, I meant to show more listen to a few moments just to get to sleep; instead, I had to stay with the novel until past 3 p.m. so that I could listen to the very last word. Mysteries in the Brock and Kathy series always capture readers; however, this one proved to be the most riveting yet. I'd recommend this novel to anyone. (While I've enjoyed the novels in order, Silvermeadow could be appreciated even by readers who begin with it, the fifth in the series.) show less

I am reading this out of order, because I read on in the series while I waited for this book to arrive.

I thought this had the most coherent plot of all the instalments I have read so far, although Bren's part of the plot (looking for North) is largely forgotten about for most of the story. Thankfully Kathy's ordeal at the end (and there always is one!) was not as horrific to read about as the next book made it sound in retrospect.

Another good entry in this fine series. Kathy and Brock find interesting friends and a girl's death leads us into the lively world of the modern shopping mall. Other crimes ensue and a grand finale shootout bring the story to a very satisfactory conclusion.

This is a thoroughly enjoyable crime novel set in a mega-centre of shopping (makes you think immediately of Lakeside and Bluewater) where it all turns sour. Barry Maitland takes you behind the scenes of the apparently perfect and controlled surface, where nasty secrets are lurking.

I thought I'd figured out whodunnit half way through but I was wrong - the author led me all the way up the garden path and round in circles before he was ready to let me in on the truth. Very well done.

Kathy and Brock have worked together before, but I haven't read those books and you don't really need to, to enjoy this one. Silvermeadow is set in a fantasy giant super mall, complete with volcano that goes off every hour, to everyone's enjoyment. It also has had a girl go missing, and end up in the recycling compactor, crushed. Was she the first girl? Have there been others? What is going on at Silvermeadow? An enjoyable, easy to read dective procedural with nothing earth shattering in writing or concept, and with the fatal flaw of having the villian explain way too much at the end (any normal villian would have just killed the copper, not spoken about every crime he had commiteed for 20 minutes until help could come!) I would show more describe it as a cozy read, the sort of thing you're happy to have on holiday because it's highly readable but not so engrossing that you don't want to go out and see the sights... show less

Second book I have read in this series. Still very much like the characters and the ending was fast paced and exciting. Lots of threads that are pulled together in the conclusion . I did feel that it dragged in parts but I will stay with this series.

Great book! Fast moving and gripping, I really enjoyed it.