ARC Review: Negative Image by Vicki Delany
Submitted by Doll KittNLuv on August 25, 2010 – 10:08 am2 Comments
by Vicki Delany
[A Constable Molly Smith Novel]
*This title is due for release November 2, 2010*
*This title is due for release November 2, 2010*
As the mountain town of Trafalgar, British Columbia, shakes off a long hard winter, famous photographer Rudolph Steiner arrives to do a feature on mountain tourism. Steiner is accompanied by his assistant and sexy young wife, but he has another reason for the visit: to reconnect with the woman who left him twenty-five years ago to marry another man.Twenty-five years ago, she was young, beautiful, naïve, and an internationally known supermodel. Today Eliza Winters is no longer young, and definitely not naïve, but still beautiful and married to Trafalgar City Police Sergeant John Winters.When Steiner is found dead in his luxury hotel room, shot once in the back of the head, suspicion falls upon Eliza. John Winters is forced into the most difficult decision of his life: loyalty to his job or to his wife. As the RCMP dig into the secrets of both Steiner and Eliza, John Winters slowly comes to realize that he doesn’t know the woman to whom he has been married for twenty-five years as well as he thought he did.Unable to help the Sergeant, Constable Molly Smith has her own troubles: a series of B&Es; has the peaceful town in an uproar, her overprotective Mountie boyfriend is fighting with her colleagues, and a vengeful stalker is watching her every move. When tragedy strikes at the heart of her own family, Molly can’t even turn to her mother, Lucky, for help.
Negative Image by Vicki Delany sucked me right into the story. Her method of storytelling is immediate, and each chapter usually contains several different points of view to accomplish that immediacy. If you subscribe to the “one chapter, one POV” this may drive you a little bonkers. But for the rest of us who remain unruffled, the POVs simply keep the story going at a rapid clip. (One small note: The POVs are clearly defined. This is not head-hopping.)
This is the first book in the Molly Smith series I’ve read, and I thoroughly enjoyed it. Many women will identify with Molly and the prejudices she encounters in her job. Some will feel a kinship with her as she works to resolve problems without asking for help from her boyfriend or male co-workers.
Amazingly, Sgt. John Winters is a very likeable character who simply behaves like a typical male when his wife is accused of murder. He worries how the scandal will reflect on him. Most of the time, I wanted to smack him for falling into that stereotype, but in all honesty, I could also identify with him. I was elated at the resolution. One small thing that did bother me was how quickly Eliza forgave him for being an ass. But when someone is ready to get their life back on track, they will overlook a lot of things they might not otherwise. After all, time does heal wounds…if you can hang on long enough to let it.
As I stated in my first paragraph, there are numerous points of view per chapter. Rather than finding them off-putting or annoying, they contributed to the feeling of knowing everything that was going on at any given moment. I’ve never seen a story approached in quite this manner, but it obviously works for Ms. Delany.
Overall, the characters are flawed and true to life with multiple layers to their personalities. The story is believable, the plot and subplots are complex, and the resolution is surprising. She kept me guessing throughout the book, and though I followed every clue, I was never really sure of the perpetrator. When the killer was finally exposed, I did a head-smack because I didn’t guess it sooner.
This book would be an appropriate read for practically everyone. There was little to offend anyone unless a quote was taken out of context, the language was mild, and the writing was easy to follow. The story was interesting and fast-paced. I would definitely recommend it.
~Mona
Constable Molly Smith [M]
Valley of the Lost-2007
In the Shadow of the Glacier-2008
Negative Image-November 2, 2010
Visit Vicki Delany’s Website |
This book was given to Mona for review by NetGalley.com
Kitt is an avid reader of Urban Fantasy, Fantasy, Paranormal Romance, Historical, Classics, Young Adult, and on the occasion she reads some Erotica to spice things up. Her entrance into the world of Paranormal started with Charlaine Harris's Stackhouse series. When not feeding her addiction she can be found slaving away cooking as a Sous Chef, watching movies and Anime, or out looking for trouble. She lives in Florida with her DB Deist and their two cats Salem and Dublin.
I always love a good mystery…and for some reason a mystery in the snow+mountains just makes it sooo much better. Great review.
I agree! Thanks Mona!