This author apparently thinks women are stupid and incapable. The farther you read into the series the more apparent it becomes. The stories are decent, but I don't think this author should stick to writing about men. ( )

Ruth Hunter is tired of solving crimes in London, so she transfers to a Northern Wales police unit. On her first day, she's put in charge of a murder investigation.
The author tries to give some interesting background to Ruth and her sidekick Nick. Ruth is a lesbian, and her partner Sarah mysteriously disappeared four years earlier. Nick is an alcoholic, and Mr. McCleave goes into a lot of detail about this. I'm not qualified to judge, but it did seem odd to me that Nick tries to wean himself off by measuring his alcohol count and taking drugs. Maybe that's a viable treatment in Wales, but the author does spend a lot of time on it.
The story itself was good, veering from suspect to suspect, grounded by forensic work and logical police work. The ending is a bit of a twist that I didn't see coming, though there did seem to be a plot hole unless my knowledge of Welsh law is lacking (how is underage sex at age 14 not immediately classified as rape?).
Unlike other reviewers, I enjoyed the historical and mythological references. I didn't care for the constant musical references and travelogues that felt like padding. The action sequences were written well, but often there was too much repetitive telling - Ruth rolled down the window to let her smoke out. Or every sentence in a paragraph starting with "She" or "He." It felt like a good first effort but ultimately not a series I want to continue. ( )

I enjoyed this book. I didn't like that so much information was provided at the very end of the story. I enjoyed the characters. I'm not sure if I will read another in this series. ( )

DI Ruth Hunter has just arrived in North Wales from London when she has her first case - murder of a school teacher. With still no suspects there is another death. Hunter and her team continue the investigation but can they find the murderer before the case is taken away from them.
An enjoyable and well-written crime story, with its likeable but flawed characters. A good start to a new series. ( )