I really liked this book. A woman crime solver, in the vein of a private investigator rather than a police officer, feisty, smart, damaged, Diane Rowe is as straight up as a spade, not afraid to take on those bigger and brawnier than her, chock full of empathy and compassion, she is one great character. And above all believable, which despite her various failings makes her immediately attractive to the reader.
The author, Donna Malane, is a New Zealand producer and script writer who has written extensively for the TV crime solving/police genre. Her first foray into novel writing was with 'Surrender', where she introduced Diane Rowe, a missing persons expert, dealing with the aftermath of her sister's murder. Although not a sequel, this second novel follows nicely from the first with some of the same characters.
Diane has been contacted by Karen who has just finished a prison term of seven years for driving her car into a lake with her two children in it, resulting in the death of one of the children. The surviving child, Sunny, is now 14 and has had nothing to do with her mother in the intervening years. Karen has asked Diane to find Sunny, 'to make sure she's safe'. Taking the case reluctantly, Diane thinks it will just be a straightforward process of reuniting mother and daughter, whether that is a good thing or not is not the issue. Quite quickly though, she senses there is more to this investigation than immediately apparent, and she soon finds herself drawn into Sunny's family and life.
Like all good TV whodunnits, the action takes place over a very short period of time - 13 days to be precise; there are a number of twists and turns, as well as the odd red herring; the only people who spend more time than Diane in an aeroplane over the 13 days are airline crew; we get a great sense of place with vivid descriptions of the cities of Wellington and Auckland; there is Diane's complicated personal life as well as the requisite rivalries between herself and other law enforcement people/agencies.
Diane is not the only great character in this book. Sunny herself is beautifully drawn as the damaged, motherless, tough but still childlike and resilient 14 year old; you want to steal Diane's boyfriend away for yourself; you ache for Karen and the terrible burden she has had to bear over the years. But it is the character of Diane herself who shines through, what a woman! This is a great book, neither too long or too short, and very hard to put down which is why it can be read in two days, and you too will read it in two days, trust me!
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