So, we are back here again. I almost passed on reading this since I am still super ticked about the events in the last book. But this came up after being on hold for about 2 months so I decided to read. And then the next book in the series came up for me about 2 hours later. Apparently the Book Gods want me to give this series another go. And I have to say, I was pleasantly surprised. This was an interesting mystery and we have a new character, Willow Reeves who I ended up liking a lot. Jimmy Reeves worked my nerves a fair bit, but that’s only because Cleeves used the death of his fiancée to make him interesting or some such nonsense and he was not. His obsession with Cassie and just being angry was not doing a lot for me. Thank goodness we have Sandy as a bridge in this story though. The writing is typical Cleeves, she knows how to set a scene. The flow got better as things get going. I have to say though, that the explanation behind the murders didn’t make a lot of sense to me and that was honestly why I gave this 4 stars. I mean I get why the murderer supposedly did it, but I went really and shook my head.
“Dead Water” takes place 6 months after Inspector Jimmy Reeves lost his fiancée, Fran. Jimmy is still sort of drifting and making sure he’s looking after Fran’s daughter, Cassie. However, he doesn’t really do police work anymore and his colleagues are getting a bit tired of him at this point. When a dead body is found near the Fiscal’s home, Detective Inspector Willow Reeves is called in. Willow works alongside Sandy, but puzzles about bringing in Jimmy Reeves. At first Jimmy is reluctant, but something about the case of the murdered journalist calls to him, and he finds himself involved in another murder.
I really liked Willow. She’s the total opposite of Jimmy in some ways, but she’s just as keen to solve murders, and has a different touch than him on some matters. She finds herself intrigued by him, but also frustrated.
Sandy was Sandy, but also getting a lot better at voicing his opinions.
Jimmy was like a wraith through the first part of the book. Still feeling guilty about Fran, he is just focused on Cassie and taking her to school. But he starts to realize that he needs to loosen things up a bit with regards to her because she’s worried about him. When he starts to investigate the murder a part of him that he thought no longer existed, pops up.
The other characters in this one were interesting as well. We got more insight into the Fiscal which was good.
The writing was typical Cleeves, and the flow improved as the mystery deepened.
The setting of Shetland always seems so dark and tragic. With things focused on the water, even though seemed to become threatening.
I have to say though that the resolution about the murder and who/why was a bit of a mess. I didn’t really think it was realistic. I just went with it because everything up to that point was working. But I literally went, okay and then sighed.