3 out of 4 stars
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The 11:05 Murders by author Brian O'Hare is the second installment of the Inspector Sheehan Mysteries Series. Having not read the first Inspector Sheehan book I still managed to enjoy this installment as a stand-alone story. Bringing into play new characters allowed the reader to enjoy the story; even though one did get the feeling of missing something due to not having read the first book.
This book focuses its attention mainly on the character of Detective Sergeant Denise Stewart, a new member joining Inspector Sheehan’s team of special investigators. She arrives just in time to assist the team in solving a series of linked and brutal crimes. At the same time Denise finds herself embroiled in her own crime drama, as a violent stalker pursues her.
The writing style and plot structure used by the author fit easily into the conventions of the crime / detective genre, making this book a comfortable and straightforward 'holiday style' read. Set in modern-day Northern Ireland, the perfect amount of time is dedicated to setting the scene, the author has chosen to not go into too much descriptive detail and thereby not bore the reader.
Not personally being familiar with strict police and forensic procedure, I was able to enjoy the story line without worrying too much about accuracy and realism. However, a more fastidious reader may find problems with a few points in the story, noting that things would most likely not happen this way realistically.
I was hoping for a major surprise plot twist towards the end of the book, but the identities of the perpetrators in the book are given away long before they are unmasked in the story. I found this aspect a bit disappointing as I like to be surprised, and too many clues are given away too soon.
I am giving this book a 3 out of 4 rating as I think it would appeal to many readers, however there are very minor editing errors that distract from the story here and there [although it is apparent that the book was well edited]. I would also have assigned a higher rating if the story and characters were a bit less predictable.
I believe that this book would appeal to lovers of the traditional "who done it" genre, as well as readers who like to see 'the bad guy' get what is coming to them.
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The 11.05 Murders
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