Praise for Alis Hawkins: ‘Beautifully written, cunningly plotted, with one of the most interesting central characters.’ E.S. Thomson ‘The most interesting crime creation of the year.’ Phil Rickman Harry Probert-Lloyd, a young barrister forced home from London by encroaching blindness, has begun work as the acting coroner of Teifi Valley with solicitor’s clerk John Davies as his assistant.When a … solicitor’s clerk John Davies as his assistant.
When a faceless body is found on an isolated beach, Harry must lead the inquest. But his dogged pursuit of the truth begins to ruffle feathers. Especially when he decided to work alongside a local doctor with a dubious reputation and experimental theories considered radical and dangerous. Refusing to accept easy answers might not only jeopardise Harry’s chance to be elected coroner permnantly but could, it seems implicate his own family in a crime.
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Another thoroughly enjoyable read from Alis Hawkins. Sometimes, having read a book, I pause to consider what did (or didn’t) make it work for me as a reader. At times, that’s a difficult answer to pin down as there are so many possibilities.
Crime fiction is not a genre I read widely – never has been – but Alis Hawkins’ historical crime series holds a special place in my heart, and that, I believe, is down to the reading trait of connections.
Regardless of the time period in which a book is set, as a reader I must connect with the story in some way in order to get the most from it. In the case of ‘In Two Minds’ that is exactly what happened.
For one, the story is set in my home town, and although it is fictional, I could tell that the research was thorough. This brought the old Cardiganshire to life for me. There were moments of pure connection, for example, her description of the stink from the gully near the Mwldan. But more than that, the topic of Welsh emigration to America and even the subject of brain tumors all hit home, all having been experienced within my immediate family.
Aside from the ability to make connections though, this was simply a great story. The setting descriptions, the voices of the characters, the ‘feel’ of the period in which it was set, as well as the twists and turns in the plot, all added up to one great read.
Can’t wait for book 3!
I don’t know if this is available in the US yet, but this is without doubt one of my novels of the year so far. It is so well-balanced. Not only do we get a cracking good mystery to solve, but we also get outstandingly interesting characters, and a wealth of period detail. Harry Probert-Lloyd, future heir of the Glanteifi estate is going blind, but has decided to stand as the new coroner, much against everyone’s advice. Because of his sight problem, he takes on John Davies, a farm-boy turned clerk, with enough intelligence to be something much more, and the secret ambition to do something else with his life.
They have an unexplained death to investigate, involving a faceless man and the lime and coal industries of the Cardiganshire coast, (lovely cover by the way, with the lime kilns) and it soon turns out there is much more to the supposed ‘drowned’ man, that at first appears. I loved reading about the obsessive Dr Reckitt with his fanatical interest in the inside of people’s heads, and I thought Harry’s ambivalent relationship with his sick father after he’d had a stroke particularly well-drawn and believable.
It is unusual to find a novel with two viewpoints where you root for them both equally, but this one pulls it off. The upper class Harry and the working class John have different and often conflicting views of the world, with Harry treading on eggshells not to offend John, whilst having no real understanding of John’s situation.
This is first class historical crime fiction and I urge everyone to read it.