A peaceful cricket match on a warm summer’s day turns to murder and mystery, as the star player Aaron Decker lies dead in his bed, his girlfriend sleeping soundly beside him.The case takes on a new twist with links to the disappearance of a German U-Boat and a British warship in 1945. With the mysterious Aegis Institute hovering in the background of the investigation, D.I Andy Ross and his team … his team find themselves in their most complex case to date.
With events in Britain, Germany, the U.S.A and a secret submarine base in Canada all involved, Ross and his team need to work together with international law enforcement agencies and a respected German historian to not only solve the murder of Aaron Decker, but the strange case of U3000’s last voyage.
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A Mersey Maiden is the third book in Brian L. Porter’s clever and complex ‘Mersey Murder Mysteries’ series set in England in modern times. I’ve read all six novels that have been written to date and am looking forward to the seventh when it’s published in the near future. While the books focus on Detective Inspector Ross and his special investigation team in and around Liverpool and the River Mersey in England, this story takes us from the end of WWII to modern Germany and the USA, covering at least 4 murders that happen during the crux of the story. (There might be others in history, but those are not the direct focus, and I’m not giving everything away!)
What stands out most in this book is the sheer volume of research and planning that went into the story’s production. Of course, there are the normal red herrings, clues, and interesting twists, but the details are intensely thorough and well-plotted above his norm (which is quite high). To develop a story of this caliber, Porter had to carefully lay small and discrete elements that collide together like a fireworks explosion near the end. But it’s not just once or twice…. the levels and layers keep popping in the last 10% showing what we think we understand isn’t fully fleshed out until the finale and then some. It’s like a wonderful roller coaster ride where you think you’ve hit that last and final mega-drop, but then you get the jaw-dropping surprise of yet another one!
From the precise use and design of submarines to life-threatening diving techniques, Porter challenges readers to navigate the murky English Channel and how it’s changed in the last ~70 years. What if a small watercraft was sunk but never found? What if it contained secrets Hitler wanted to keep hidden? What if information had been passed through generations until love was questioned between people who knew nothing of the past? Porter handles it all adeptly and provides a bevy of side stories about each of the detectives or investigators working on this case. Many of our favorites have big steps in their personal lives or moments that clarify how good they truly are.
This was a very well-rounded and easy-to-read installment in the series. It might be my favorite, but I’m neck-and-neck with another that also gave me all the amazing reader feels. Looking forward to the next one with great excitement.
4.5/5 intricate murder mystery full of intrigue.
First, let me explain that this title is related to cricket, a British game I couldn’t, for the life of me, understand. The book opens with a game of cricket with the star being an American college student who’s later found dead in his bed, beside his soundly sleeping girlfriend.
From there on the story picks up, with flashbacks to WWII and an intriguing and complicated plot I was sure the author wouldn’t be able to make the ends tie. But tie they did and in a nice, tidy way.
There were a lot of descriptions I thought wasn’t necessary, but the overall story and its set of characters kept me going, moments of “Oh” catching me by surprise every now and then.
It’s a very well written crime / detective story, my first by this author and the third in this series, and at the end, no loose threads were left.
It was obvious the author had done a thorough research about WWII, submarines, diving and forensics and real facts on the topic were thrown in, giving it a more realistic appeal.
The banter between the characters felt natural, the writing style easy to read, and the tone suspenseful and mysterious and humorous at times.
Overall, it’s a great read and I recommend it to anyone who enjoys crime/detective thrillers with a touch of historical events.