Book reviews

Book review: Death at Eden’s End by Jo Allen


Title: Death at Eden’s End

Author: Jo Allen

Genre: Mystery/Thriller

Publisher: Aria

Publication date: 12th December 2019

My rating: ★ ★ ★ ☆ ☆

Summary:

“When one-hundred-year-old Violet Ross is found dead at Eden’s End, a luxury care home hidden in a secluded nook of the Lake District’s Eden Valley it’s tragic, of course, but not unexpected. Except for the instantly recognisable look in her lifeless eyes… that of pure terror.

DCI Jude Satterthwaite heads up the investigation, but as the deaths start to mount up it’s clear that he, and DS Ashleigh O’Halloran need to uncover a long-buried secret before the killer strikes again…

My review:

Although Violet Ross’ death is at first ruled natural, a series of questions from a nurse on duty leads to a murder investigation where it is revealed that Eden’s End is not the safe care home it is advertised as.

Death at Eden’s End reminded me of an old-style police series with its unprejudiced sergeants and bleak setting. The plot unraveled slowly with details which at first seemed insignificant but later showed to be relevant to the murder. The pace was steady throughout and the plot held my attention.

There are very few characters involved in the murder investigation which was disappointing as it narrowed down the suspects to only a few. I would have liked to see more minor characters introduced and weaved into the investigation as I guessed the murderer from around the midway point based on the few snippets of information provided and the remainder of the plot therefore seemed lackluster and much less exciting.

All major aspects worked well in sync to create an interesting murder mystery which I enjoyed reading. However, I found myself less interested after I had figured out the murder and would have preferred a much more complex plot and wider set of characters. Nevertheless I would recommend Death at Eden’s End to anyone looking for a thriller with a solid plot and steady pace who enjoys following along a murder investigation until the end.

Death at Eden’s End is out to buy tomorrow!

Many thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for providing a free advanced reader’s copy in exchange for my honest review.

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