Canary

LoveReading Says

A Detective investigates a spate of sudden illness in this fast-paced and sparsely written novella. Detective Winifred Dauer is called to a scene where an ice skater suddenly falls ill and dies at the Rockefeller Rink, This is swiftly followed by instances on the subway and Central Park Zoo. There’s a race to find out what’s causing these sudden deaths and put a stop to them before the cases continue to rise. Canary has a very fast moving plotline and would be a novella for a reader looking for a crime fiction fix that’s short on time. Despite the length of the book there is time for some character development. We learn about Winifred’s past and loss of her son which leads to her relentless drive and disregard for herself, we learn a bit about her colleagues Charlie and Angel. There are a lot of seeds sown that could be explored in future narratives. The mix of the sparsely written text and the introduction of a lot of characters very quickly at the beginning meant it took me a bit of time to find my feet. The first person perspective, hearing the story as an inner monologue with Winifred’s irreverent asides did also place me on the back foot as the reader is placed in a position where some knowledge is assumed. However I felt that this style adds to the pacing of the novel and does make it fly by to read. As this is a novella, the end resolution comes quite quickly, with very few false leads or misdirection. This again would be great for a reader that may be short on time, or perhaps someone who is getting back into reading, as the storyline is fast, action-packed and quick to digest. Canary is a whistle-stop mystery that introduces us to characters that I am intrigued to learn more about.

Charlotte Walker, A LoveReading Ambassador

LoveReading Ambassador

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