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A locked-door murder. The victim: a Hammersmith primary school teacher admired by pupils, parents and her pet spaniel... or so she believed. Her recent erratic behaviour produced more than one enemy. Ciara Gallen, an appearance-obsessed newspaper columnist and mother of one of her pupils, used to being the one passing judgement. Colleagues with secrets. Neighbours with grudges of their own. A dog deserving a bit more attention.
DI Esi Owusu and DS Pawel Krol, overwhelmed with the bizarre case of a gentle but paranoid teacher found locked inside her own home with a knife buried in her chest, call in good friend and eccentric associate, Private Detective Lance Pomegranate, to assist with the baffling mystery. But Australian Lance's unyielding preference to live barefoot and irreverence towards those who challenge him for it, elevate the prim and opinionated Ciara Gallen to more than just a suspect; now, she's a determined adversary, with the power of the press behind her. Ciara is all too willing to vilify Lance and his police allies in print, unless they can provide a more satisfying story for her ovine readers by solving the locked-room mystery and identifying the teacher's killer.
To save their reputations and Lance's career, the investigating trio face both the clock
and court of public opinion. Meanwhile, the killer lurks in their midst, watching.
Firstly, a huge thank you to the author for kindly sending me a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. I genuinely appreciate the opportunity, and I’m always grateful for the trust authors place in readers like me.
I always go into a book with an open mind, and I generally never read the reviews or read the blurb until after I finished. I noticed that some of the early reviews leaned towards negative aspects. However, I do believe those statements may not fully capture the essence of what this novel sets out to achieve. Everyone is, of course entitled to their opinion, but I firmly believe this book is deeply underrated and deserves far more recognition for both its originality and emotional depth, which is quite unusual for a detective crime book.
We follow Lance Pomegranate, the main character and private detective, as he investigates the mysterious and strange murder of a teacher who was found locked inside her home with a knife lodged in her chest. Strong opening, suspenseful and immediately gripping. The book draws readers into a twisted who dunnit' that unravels layer by layer, hinting at different endings all the way through. The main character is the reason this novel is set apart from the rest. He is not your typical crime fiction detective. He's quirky, intriguing and perhaps most notably, he chooses to go barefoot. At first glance, this might strike some readers as odd, or even gimmicky. But as the story unfolds, it becomes clear that this trait is intentional and symbolic. It may seem eccentric, but to me it represents something much more profound. The choice to go barefoot is a subtle yet powerful metaphor for vulnerability and nonconformity. It speaks volumes about the character as he is a man who refuses to compromise his feelings and his identity, no matter how much others may judge him. The narrative also explores these themes through conversations with passer-by's and conveys to the readers to see how quick society can be to ridicule what they don't understand. It is a quiet, yet poignant commentary on individuality and the courage it takes to live life unapologetically, even in the face of severe scrutiny. This theme of acceptance and resisting judgement is woven throughout in a way to remind us that our human tendencies are to critique what we don't relate to or ever comprehend. This is a significant call to do better, be more empathetic, and more open-minded.
"Out, damned spot. Your hands will ne'er be clean, but soon our two households will be both alike in dignity"
From a storytelling perspective, the pacing is steady. The mystery unfolds with a slow burn but a perfect amount of tension. I tried to guess all the way through and kept messaging the author with my reasoning behind who I thought murdered the teacher, and I was so far from the truth. Writing a book like this is not easy, I'm guessing it demands intricate plotting, well-developed characters and carefully placed clues, with just a smidgen of misdirection. He navigated these with remarkable skill. With this genre it could be way too easy for it to become predictable, but this wasn't. All of the side characters in the book were given believable motives, each one adding to the web of suspicion that kept the mystery alive and evolving. This wasn't just a murder mystery, it was a rich tapestry of voices and identities.
"Just remember this isn't just a game, and the moral high ground is not a pre-requisite for someone to be able to hurt you."
If I had one initial hesitation it would have been the dialogue between Lance and his best friend Sahana, at first it seemed a bit too much but as the story progressed, I began to understand why. Those exchanges became some of the most compelling aspects of the novel, and I grew to adore them, and their banter.
Overall, this was a fantastic book. I read it within 48 hours because every time I put it down, I picked it straight back up again. Lucky for me, I also have a copy of the second book which I will be reading soon. To anyone considering buying this, look forward to the humour, the great mix of characters and their relationships. But also, have a willingness to embrace the unconventional. You may come away with a lot more than you first expected.
To buy the book:
https://amzn.to/4l0ekpa
To pre-order book number two:
https://amzn.to/4jQjG5n
To follow the author:
L.E. Bendon - About
L.E. Bendon (@L_E_Bendon) / X
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