by Tony Mott
Translated by Marina Sofia
Cover Design by Sonja van der Westhuizen
Cover photo by Sergei Leont'ev: Unisplash
Published by Corylus Books
So many things might come to mind when we see this cover & title.
Have you ever had a niggling feeling or thought in the back of your mind? Sometimes it's the smallest detail that can lead you in a new direction.
Sometimes you just have to trust your gut.
*The dead cannot talk, yet they always tell us the truth*
Despite admirable, exhausting efforts to scrub them out, in EVERY industry & career field, there will always be some archaic hierarchy, often including stereotypical expectations & gender-based duty restrictions.
Forensic pathologist Gigi Alexa fights to be taken seriously in a society of old-fashioned, deeply rooted attitudes.
She has excellent book smarts & work ethic, extensive credentials & experience but it's still an ongoing battle to be entirely accepted, acknowledged or respected by everyone.
It's rare for a crime to be clear-cut or simple but an unexplained dead body, soon followed by another apparently unconnected murder, makes things so much more complicated.
Further deaths add to the puzzle & initially baffle the investigators but will Gigi be able to crack the questions & discover if they're at all connected?
A victim bears an alarming resemblance to Gigi, adding a new level of mystery to the already-shocking crimes.
Working in partnership with the police teams, whilst negotiating the usual rigours of a personal life & trying to forge her way in a tough career environment would be a challenge for anyone but Gigi is beyond determined.
Just to add to the jeopardy, they're all in the public scrutiny spotlight & trying extra hard to prove their skills after making recent headlines for lack of action in previous criminal cases.
Tony Mott has created such a great character in Gigi, set amongst the whole, excellent cast & the engaging writing style keeps the reader keen to see what's coming next.
The translation by Marina Sofia has brought a fantastic text to us in a smooth, unfaltering delivery, keeping the reader totally involved.
There's a lot of intriguing & clever detail in this story. Based in the Carpathian town of Brașov, we visit several real-life locations that have been fascinating to research & explore, virtually.
The setting is its own character & we can feel the nuances of Romanian life through the text. The author's thorough knowledge & personal familiarity with the location helps immerse us as we read.
Sometimes an unexpected detail can be the clincher & even a habit that's annoying to some people, can be the key to a vital development.
Keep an eye out for the details in this one as you read.
I've tried a national recipe inspired by a few different book locations. Here's a treat I tried from a traditional recipe.
Braşov & Romania might be famous for stylish, delicate cream patisserie-style cakes but I tried a more straightforward recipe! Help yourself.
*Romanian Lazy Cake*
Make sure you check out all the great titles from Corylus Books.
This one is part of the excellent 'Women in Translation' series & has been translated by Marina Sofia.
I appreciate the chance to review this book & future titles. Thank you Ewa Sherman & Corylus Books.
*îţi mulţumesc foarte mult*
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