Like many fans, I've waited a long time for the next Russ and Clare mystery. I know the author has had a really tough few years and I hope bringing this to publication is a healing for her. The premise is great -- the bodies of three women found on the same spot, decades apart, and then there's the backstory of Russ and Clare's new baby.
That being said, I'm a little troubled by the excerpt, especially the opening scenario. The characters are difficult to identify, leaving me a bit confused as to who is who and who is doing what. I don't think it would take much to clarify things a bit and get off to a sharper start, but, overall, the writing has the feel of something that has been read many times by the same people, who already know what is going on. There is at least one out-of-character grammatical error. We've all waited a long time for this book and Spencer-Fleming's writing is often transcendent; I'll read it enthusiastically, no matter what, but I really want to see it "be all it can be."
That being said, I'm a little troubled by the excerpt, especially the opening scenario. The characters are difficult to identify, leaving me a bit confused as to who is who and who is doing what. I don't think it would take much to clarify things a bit and get off to a sharper start, but, overall, the writing has the feel of something that has been read many times by the same people, who already know what is going on. There is at least one out-of-character grammatical error. We've all waited a long time for this book and Spencer-Fleming's writing is often transcendent; I'll read it enthusiastically, no matter what, but I really want to see it "be all it can be."