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B.C. Blues Crime #2
Undertow
A heartbreaking set of murders bring detectives Leith and Dion together in the Lower Mainland, where violence flows like a riptide.
Last summer the inlet waters washed an unnamed woman’s body onto the rocks of North Vancouver’s Neptune shipyards. When RCMP Constable Cal Dion returns home after a year’s absence, he finds the case still open and grown cold.
While Dion works to fit back in and put closure to the Jane Doe drowning case, newly relocated Constable Dave Leith is learning to cope with his first big-city posting. But they have bigger concerns: Why would anyone beat up a young electrician, then track down his wife and baby girl to finish them off? It is a motiveless and haunting killing that leaves behind one small witness and a handful of cryptic clues. And who battered and asphyxiated a wealthy nightclub owner in his own garage? A case of home invasion, by the looks of it. But Leith has a less abstract set of suspects to deal with: the victim’s business partner and his strange little clan.
The North Vancouver General Investigations Section is put to the test, with two files to solve, one tragic cold case, and Dion seemingly hopelessly lost at sea.
Last summer the inlet waters washed an unnamed woman’s body onto the rocks of North Vancouver’s Neptune shipyards. When RCMP Constable Cal Dion returns home after a year’s absence, he finds the case still open and grown cold.
While Dion works to fit back in and put closure to the Jane Doe drowning case, newly relocated Constable Dave Leith is learning to cope with his first big-city posting. But they have bigger concerns: Why would anyone beat up a young electrician, then track down his wife and baby girl to finish them off? It is a motiveless and haunting killing that leaves behind one small witness and a handful of cryptic clues. And who battered and asphyxiated a wealthy nightclub owner in his own garage? A case of home invasion, by the looks of it. But Leith has a less abstract set of suspects to deal with: the victim’s business partner and his strange little clan.
The North Vancouver General Investigations Section is put to the test, with two files to solve, one tragic cold case, and Dion seemingly hopelessly lost at sea.
434 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 2017
6 people are currently reading
413 people want to read
About the author
R.M. Greenaway
12 books84 followersRM GREENAWAY has worked in nightclubs, darkrooms, and courthouses. She writes the B.C. BLUES crime series, featuring RCMP detectives Leith and Dion. Her first novel COLD GIRL, winner of the 2014 Arthur Ellis Unhanged award, will be released 26 March 2016.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 32 reviews
December 14, 2016
In “Cold Girl” (BC Blues Crime #1) we met Cal Dion, an RCMP officer recovering from a traumatic head injury. Cal lost more than his partner in the accident. The faulty wiring in his brain left him with cognitive deficits & a memory that’s hit or miss. He ended up in northern BC working with Dave Leith, a career officer with no time for a has-been who can barely remember his name. The only thing they had in common was the dream of making it to the elite General Investigations Section in Vancouver.
One year on, Cal has made it back to the city. He’s sharper & determined to dazzle all the doubters. His first shift takes him to the scene of a double homicide. Someone killed Cheryl Liu & her baby daughter in their home. And surprise, surprise….also there is Dave Leith, a recent transfer to the team.
Sgt. Mike Bosko heads up the Section & is responsible for bringing both men onboard. He’s a calm, affable guy with a ready smile but don’t be fooled. Bosko misses nothing & it’s clear from the beginning he has his own reasons for this little reunion.
But in the mean time they have more than enough to keep them busy. The case soon morphs into an incredibly tangled mix of fraud, mistaken identity, old scores, unreliable witnesses & more bodies. The story has more twists than the Coquihalla & you’re never sure who is telling the truth. And I’m not just talking about the “bad” guys.
The crimes & police investigations alone make this a great read but what really drew me in were the characters. Cal & Dave in particular are so well defined & I enjoyed the gradual evolution of their relationship.They both thought this job would be the ultimate badge of merit, a sign they’d made it to the top. But as the weeks go by, each begins to doubt they truly belong.
Cal remains a complex & sympathetic character who can be his own worst enemy. On the job, he functions by impersonating the man he used to be. His notebook is like another appendage. Inside he scribbles down every thought, memory & detail as a blueprint for how to be “normal”. But keeping up the facade is exhausting & it’s only a matter of time before he wonders if coming back was a big mistake.
Dave spent years in his previous rural post where his wife & daughter still live. The plan was to send for them after he got settled. But the stressful pace of city living leaves him feeling like a big fish out of water. And he’s beginning to wonder about Bosko.
As the story progresses, it becomes clear there actually 2 investigations going on & not everyone is in on both. The middle section slows down a bit as the case stalls & it becomes more about the characters’ thoughts & conversations than car chases or shoot-outs. It’s then some of their true colours are revealed & pieces start to fall into place.
In the first book, there was little info about events leading up to Cal’s accident. Here we get more details about what he & his partner were up to & the secret he’s hiding. Not everything. But it’s enough to make you rethink what you knew & ensures fans will be waiting impatiently for book #3.
One year on, Cal has made it back to the city. He’s sharper & determined to dazzle all the doubters. His first shift takes him to the scene of a double homicide. Someone killed Cheryl Liu & her baby daughter in their home. And surprise, surprise….also there is Dave Leith, a recent transfer to the team.
Sgt. Mike Bosko heads up the Section & is responsible for bringing both men onboard. He’s a calm, affable guy with a ready smile but don’t be fooled. Bosko misses nothing & it’s clear from the beginning he has his own reasons for this little reunion.
But in the mean time they have more than enough to keep them busy. The case soon morphs into an incredibly tangled mix of fraud, mistaken identity, old scores, unreliable witnesses & more bodies. The story has more twists than the Coquihalla & you’re never sure who is telling the truth. And I’m not just talking about the “bad” guys.
The crimes & police investigations alone make this a great read but what really drew me in were the characters. Cal & Dave in particular are so well defined & I enjoyed the gradual evolution of their relationship.They both thought this job would be the ultimate badge of merit, a sign they’d made it to the top. But as the weeks go by, each begins to doubt they truly belong.
Cal remains a complex & sympathetic character who can be his own worst enemy. On the job, he functions by impersonating the man he used to be. His notebook is like another appendage. Inside he scribbles down every thought, memory & detail as a blueprint for how to be “normal”. But keeping up the facade is exhausting & it’s only a matter of time before he wonders if coming back was a big mistake.
Dave spent years in his previous rural post where his wife & daughter still live. The plan was to send for them after he got settled. But the stressful pace of city living leaves him feeling like a big fish out of water. And he’s beginning to wonder about Bosko.
As the story progresses, it becomes clear there actually 2 investigations going on & not everyone is in on both. The middle section slows down a bit as the case stalls & it becomes more about the characters’ thoughts & conversations than car chases or shoot-outs. It’s then some of their true colours are revealed & pieces start to fall into place.
In the first book, there was little info about events leading up to Cal’s accident. Here we get more details about what he & his partner were up to & the secret he’s hiding. Not everything. But it’s enough to make you rethink what you knew & ensures fans will be waiting impatiently for book #3.
April 6, 2017
I enjoyed reading this police procedural and give it 4 stars. I previously read Cold Girl, book 1 in the series and liked it also, so much so that I requested book 2 from the publisher and NetGalley. I recommend reading this series in order.
This book starts with Cal Dion and David Leith, both transferred from Hazelton, British Columbia, Canada, to Vancouver, B.C.'s RCMP office. They are assigned to the suspicious death of Lance Liu. More deaths happen and Leith and Dion go at this mystery from separate directions. Dion and Leith have a difficult relationship--going back to when they first met at Hazelton.
Dion is still recovering from an auto accident in which he was almost killed. He has difficulty with social/working relationships and gets into nasty arguments with co workers. Leith is asked to watch over Dion by their supervisor. Leith believes that Dion is hiding something from the accident, which killed Dion's partner. Dion claims not to remember anything from the accident, but some things have come back to him, and he keeps them to himself. He feels that he is a failure as a police officer, but as in the first book in the series, he plays a crucial role in solving the murders.
While some incidents in the beginning seem unrelated, they all tie together in the end, for a very satisfactory ending. My wife read this book and also rates it 4 stars.
Two quotes:
"What looked like a compact sized country estate spread out within the gates. The broad asphalt parking area could easily accommodate a couple dozen vehicles."
"He sat down, looked across the table at the most beautiful woman he had ever seen and all his neatly aligned data points scattered."
This book starts with Cal Dion and David Leith, both transferred from Hazelton, British Columbia, Canada, to Vancouver, B.C.'s RCMP office. They are assigned to the suspicious death of Lance Liu. More deaths happen and Leith and Dion go at this mystery from separate directions. Dion and Leith have a difficult relationship--going back to when they first met at Hazelton.
Dion is still recovering from an auto accident in which he was almost killed. He has difficulty with social/working relationships and gets into nasty arguments with co workers. Leith is asked to watch over Dion by their supervisor. Leith believes that Dion is hiding something from the accident, which killed Dion's partner. Dion claims not to remember anything from the accident, but some things have come back to him, and he keeps them to himself. He feels that he is a failure as a police officer, but as in the first book in the series, he plays a crucial role in solving the murders.
While some incidents in the beginning seem unrelated, they all tie together in the end, for a very satisfactory ending. My wife read this book and also rates it 4 stars.
Two quotes:
"What looked like a compact sized country estate spread out within the gates. The broad asphalt parking area could easily accommodate a couple dozen vehicles."
"He sat down, looked across the table at the most beautiful woman he had ever seen and all his neatly aligned data points scattered."
January 7, 2021
RMCP Constable Cal Dion is returning to the job a year after an accident left him close to death. It's a miracle he survived the accident which killed his friend and colleague. He suffered a traumatic head injury and although physically recovered, he still has some minor memory problems that's hit or miss. He's an outstanding officer and solves cases in unique ways.
And he's keeping his cognitive deficits to himself.
First day back and he's called to help investigate the murder of a housewife and her infant daughter. Her young son was found hiding in a cabinet ... traumatized and not able to tell them anything. His father is missing .. but later found in a field, assumed to have been crushed when run over by his own truck.
Who would want to kill a young man and then leave to kill his family?
Meanwhile Detective Dave Lieth is handling his first homicide ... that of a wealthy nightclub owner, found dead in his garage. Home invasion?
As these two cases dovetail, Dion and Lieth must work together and that in itself is fraught with overtones of dislike, maybe jealousy.
And how do these cases lead to an unsolved case that Dion handled before his accident?
This is well-written with an intricately, tightly woven plot. The characters are larger than life and it's intriguing to watch the two law enforcement officers go about solving a crime coming from different directions. Their personal feelings must be put aside, but can they accomplish that? There are multiple, varied suspects to follow. Dion is fascinating because of his memory issues, but with the help of a tablet, he keeps most things where he makes notes to get him through the day while seemingly being "normal". The ending was anti-climatic, mostly giving hints as to what comes next in Dion's life.
Although 2nd in this series, UNDERTOW is easily read as a stand alone. I would recommend reading in order for a better understanding of these characters.
Many thanks to the author / Dundurn Press / Netgalley for the digital copy of this crime fiction. Read and reviewed, opinions expressed here are unbiased and entirely my own.
And he's keeping his cognitive deficits to himself.
First day back and he's called to help investigate the murder of a housewife and her infant daughter. Her young son was found hiding in a cabinet ... traumatized and not able to tell them anything. His father is missing .. but later found in a field, assumed to have been crushed when run over by his own truck.
Who would want to kill a young man and then leave to kill his family?
Meanwhile Detective Dave Lieth is handling his first homicide ... that of a wealthy nightclub owner, found dead in his garage. Home invasion?
As these two cases dovetail, Dion and Lieth must work together and that in itself is fraught with overtones of dislike, maybe jealousy.
And how do these cases lead to an unsolved case that Dion handled before his accident?
This is well-written with an intricately, tightly woven plot. The characters are larger than life and it's intriguing to watch the two law enforcement officers go about solving a crime coming from different directions. Their personal feelings must be put aside, but can they accomplish that? There are multiple, varied suspects to follow. Dion is fascinating because of his memory issues, but with the help of a tablet, he keeps most things where he makes notes to get him through the day while seemingly being "normal". The ending was anti-climatic, mostly giving hints as to what comes next in Dion's life.
Although 2nd in this series, UNDERTOW is easily read as a stand alone. I would recommend reading in order for a better understanding of these characters.
Many thanks to the author / Dundurn Press / Netgalley for the digital copy of this crime fiction. Read and reviewed, opinions expressed here are unbiased and entirely my own.
May 15, 2018
I really enjoyed the tension, and at times antipathy, between the two main characters in Undertow, RCMP officers, Cal Dion and Dave Leith. The author, R. M. Greenaway, depicts Dion’s struggle to return to work with deep insight into traumatic brain injury recovery. Dion’s coping mechanisms and self-doubt antagonize his colleagues especially Dave Leith who has made the decision to move to the city from Northern BC to advance his career. Leith is similarly often full of self-doubt about both this career move and his abilities to solve seemingly unrelated murders and cold cases. Dion’s flashes of brilliance (and propensity to go ‘off book’!) together with Leith’s determined investigating slowly uncover relationships between victims and suspects leading to a very satisfactory ending. I even felt that Leith’s antipathy towards Dion had evolved into empathy.
April 2, 2017
Follow Constables Cal Dion and Dave Leith as they solve murders in North Vancouver, Canada. Although this novel is the second in the B.C. Blues Crime series, it can certainly be read as a stand-alone.
I really liked this book and found it a lovely mix of strong characterisation and a very involved plot. Both constables have their failings but are very good second division players. They both try their level best to bring justice to the victims. They are not glamourous all action heroes but ordinary hard working people. Rather than get a brilliant lead to their enquires, Undertow has the other side to police work, how can we make anything out of this mess? Greenaway really engaged me as a reader, as she strongly got across the feeling of being lost within a police investigation, with nothing adding up.
For readers like me who read books in 45 minute sessions, Undertow is just great because when you are away from the story, thoughts about the novel pop into your head, time and time again. What about this character or that character? Were those details relevant? I wonder if someone is behind all this? What the devil is going on?
I liked the chemistry between all the police officers, in and out of work. Greenaway used their different personalities so well, they drew me in and I thought I was part of the team! I found Undertow a very good read because there was so much to consider. It was not one of those books that you just rolled along with as it quietly entertains. Undertow got my cogs turning as my suspicions changed from one character to the next. I loved the way Greenaway pointed her guilty finger at everyone. I got a lot of pleasure from reading Undertow and can find nothing wrong with this novel. At the end of the story I thought WOW! And slowly from memory all the little bits added up together, all those little details were important and what a brilliant plot. I loved getting things wrong in my head along the way, Greenaway has a great skill of leading the reader up the garden path. Undertow is a very good read and it gets the top score of 5 stars from me.
I have read Greenaway’s first novel Cold Girl, which I also voted 5 stars. It is great to find that her writing quality has not slipped and I have now become a fan of her writing. Looking forward to her next novel and I don’t mind which location she uses as the joy is in the characterisation and the plot.
Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher Dundurn for giving me a copy of this book on the understanding that I provide an honest review.
I really liked this book and found it a lovely mix of strong characterisation and a very involved plot. Both constables have their failings but are very good second division players. They both try their level best to bring justice to the victims. They are not glamourous all action heroes but ordinary hard working people. Rather than get a brilliant lead to their enquires, Undertow has the other side to police work, how can we make anything out of this mess? Greenaway really engaged me as a reader, as she strongly got across the feeling of being lost within a police investigation, with nothing adding up.
For readers like me who read books in 45 minute sessions, Undertow is just great because when you are away from the story, thoughts about the novel pop into your head, time and time again. What about this character or that character? Were those details relevant? I wonder if someone is behind all this? What the devil is going on?
I liked the chemistry between all the police officers, in and out of work. Greenaway used their different personalities so well, they drew me in and I thought I was part of the team! I found Undertow a very good read because there was so much to consider. It was not one of those books that you just rolled along with as it quietly entertains. Undertow got my cogs turning as my suspicions changed from one character to the next. I loved the way Greenaway pointed her guilty finger at everyone. I got a lot of pleasure from reading Undertow and can find nothing wrong with this novel. At the end of the story I thought WOW! And slowly from memory all the little bits added up together, all those little details were important and what a brilliant plot. I loved getting things wrong in my head along the way, Greenaway has a great skill of leading the reader up the garden path. Undertow is a very good read and it gets the top score of 5 stars from me.
I have read Greenaway’s first novel Cold Girl, which I also voted 5 stars. It is great to find that her writing quality has not slipped and I have now become a fan of her writing. Looking forward to her next novel and I don’t mind which location she uses as the joy is in the characterisation and the plot.
Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher Dundurn for giving me a copy of this book on the understanding that I provide an honest review.
March 9, 2017
This was the second book by this author and my second book to read by this author. This one was definitely better than the first book.
The book starts out pretty crazy with a high speed chase wherein a man is following another man. Then he decides forget it. However, the man being chased says oh no, your not getting away with this and proceeds to chase his chaser. It just gets hairier after that. There are several people killed in this book and it's really pretty hard to figure out why and who is doing all this killing. Which is a good thing.
There are times when the author leads you to believe that things are going to happen and nothing does. That's a good thing as well.
When everything comes to light at the end, the light bulb goes off and you can see how the hints were there. However, they were so subtle that there was no way to really figure it out. I liked that.
There are some crazies in this book. I liked that too. A great read which I'm glad I got to read and review.
Thanks to Dundurn for approving my request and to Net Galley for providing me with a free e-galley in exchange for an honest review.
The book starts out pretty crazy with a high speed chase wherein a man is following another man. Then he decides forget it. However, the man being chased says oh no, your not getting away with this and proceeds to chase his chaser. It just gets hairier after that. There are several people killed in this book and it's really pretty hard to figure out why and who is doing all this killing. Which is a good thing.
There are times when the author leads you to believe that things are going to happen and nothing does. That's a good thing as well.
When everything comes to light at the end, the light bulb goes off and you can see how the hints were there. However, they were so subtle that there was no way to really figure it out. I liked that.
There are some crazies in this book. I liked that too. A great read which I'm glad I got to read and review.
Thanks to Dundurn for approving my request and to Net Galley for providing me with a free e-galley in exchange for an honest review.
January 7, 2017
I would like to thank Netgalley and Dundurn for an advance copy of Undertow, the second novel in the B.C. Blues Crime series of police procedurals set, this time, in North Vancouver.
Two of the protagonists from the first novel, Cold Girl, have independently relocated to North Vancouver and both are hating it. Dave Leith because he misses his family, hates the lack of space in the city and doesn't feel accepted by his colleagues, Cal Dion because he isn't the man he used to be when he worked there previously - a serious car crash has impaired his cognitive abilities - and because he has a secret he can't afford to be revealed. Both hope for redemption in the big cases that have just come in - the murder of a family, closely followed by the murder of a millionaire club owner. How these investigations pan out and how these two men deal with them is the basis of the novel.
I thoroughly enjoyed Undertow. The plot has plenty of twists and turns, some of which I could guess but most I couldn't so it kept me up too late, glued to the pages. It is clever in the way it unfolds, through many layers and circles, to a conclusion. This may make it sound difficult to follow but it isn't as it's all linear and logical. I admit that I struggled to keep track in the previous novel, Cold Girl, but Undertow is much more streamlined.
The characterisation is good as well, from the two protagonists to the supporting cast who all seem realistic. Dave Leith is the slow and steady type, a family man not given to flashes of brilliance but shot through with determination. Cal Dion is completely different. His cognitive problems mean he can't always concentrate or remember basic facts, never mind write concise reports, but he has an instinctual ability to arrive at the right conclusion, even when he can't explain it. Their contrasting styles cause a bit of friction but it is a winning combination.
Undertow is a good read so I have no hesitation in recommending it.
Two of the protagonists from the first novel, Cold Girl, have independently relocated to North Vancouver and both are hating it. Dave Leith because he misses his family, hates the lack of space in the city and doesn't feel accepted by his colleagues, Cal Dion because he isn't the man he used to be when he worked there previously - a serious car crash has impaired his cognitive abilities - and because he has a secret he can't afford to be revealed. Both hope for redemption in the big cases that have just come in - the murder of a family, closely followed by the murder of a millionaire club owner. How these investigations pan out and how these two men deal with them is the basis of the novel.
I thoroughly enjoyed Undertow. The plot has plenty of twists and turns, some of which I could guess but most I couldn't so it kept me up too late, glued to the pages. It is clever in the way it unfolds, through many layers and circles, to a conclusion. This may make it sound difficult to follow but it isn't as it's all linear and logical. I admit that I struggled to keep track in the previous novel, Cold Girl, but Undertow is much more streamlined.
The characterisation is good as well, from the two protagonists to the supporting cast who all seem realistic. Dave Leith is the slow and steady type, a family man not given to flashes of brilliance but shot through with determination. Cal Dion is completely different. His cognitive problems mean he can't always concentrate or remember basic facts, never mind write concise reports, but he has an instinctual ability to arrive at the right conclusion, even when he can't explain it. Their contrasting styles cause a bit of friction but it is a winning combination.
Undertow is a good read so I have no hesitation in recommending it.
January 8, 2017
Book #2, in the BC Blues Crime series
One year has passed since the first story ended. In this installment we have Constables Leith and Dion back together working in North Vancouver. It doesn’t take time before they get deeply involved in a pair of hugely intricate murder cases: one tragic cold case and the other the double murder of Cheryl Liu and her baby daughter. Everything soon morphs in one incredible tangle where nothing is sure and no one is really telling the truth. We need to decipher all this as we go along and follow Leith and Dion tackling the 2 investigations.
As in her previous novel “Cold Girl”, Mr. Greenaway penned another multilayered mystery that dilly-dallies a lot and is way longer than necessary. I would say it is one of those books you love or hate for that reason. The author pays great attention to small details slowing every down to a crawl. Leaving aside action which is so scattered you rarely see some I needed to change tack, put my mind to it in order to keep up with this puzzle. As it slowly revealed itself piece by piece the mystery started to grow on me and I didn’t mind pushing on.
This novel is definitely a character driven mystery with many players to keep track of some of which may show up in one or the other investigation or not at all….that was also a challenge. The style is a little different and is quite unique and may have all the attributes to make it fascinating but as in the first book I found it to be a hard book to get into. The style may not have totally appealed to my taste but this does not mean “Undertow” is not a well-written and captivating mystery, it is in many ways. It simply wasn’t meant for me.
Thank you Dundurn and NetGalleys for this ARC
One year has passed since the first story ended. In this installment we have Constables Leith and Dion back together working in North Vancouver. It doesn’t take time before they get deeply involved in a pair of hugely intricate murder cases: one tragic cold case and the other the double murder of Cheryl Liu and her baby daughter. Everything soon morphs in one incredible tangle where nothing is sure and no one is really telling the truth. We need to decipher all this as we go along and follow Leith and Dion tackling the 2 investigations.
As in her previous novel “Cold Girl”, Mr. Greenaway penned another multilayered mystery that dilly-dallies a lot and is way longer than necessary. I would say it is one of those books you love or hate for that reason. The author pays great attention to small details slowing every down to a crawl. Leaving aside action which is so scattered you rarely see some I needed to change tack, put my mind to it in order to keep up with this puzzle. As it slowly revealed itself piece by piece the mystery started to grow on me and I didn’t mind pushing on.
This novel is definitely a character driven mystery with many players to keep track of some of which may show up in one or the other investigation or not at all….that was also a challenge. The style is a little different and is quite unique and may have all the attributes to make it fascinating but as in the first book I found it to be a hard book to get into. The style may not have totally appealed to my taste but this does not mean “Undertow” is not a well-written and captivating mystery, it is in many ways. It simply wasn’t meant for me.
Thank you Dundurn and NetGalleys for this ARC
January 13, 2017
Last updated on 13 Jan 2017
This story had two murders that are not immediately known to be conected. The trail of data is complex and leads to a variety of suspects. The two main characters are police officers, a genius at detection, who has been brained damaged in a violent car accident named Dion and David Leith who is tasked with watching him by a senior officer.
Their relationship is difficult at best but fruitful in the investigation. The story revolves round those associated with a failing night club, Diamonds. It is a story in which you believe you have identified the villain but then the story surprises you.
There are no happy endings.The ending is graphic but fitting.
I appreciate Netgalley offering me a copy of this novel for an unbiased review. This is a novel I recommend to readers who enjoy multiple suspects and multiple lines of investigation going at the same time. This is well done since the loose ends come together nicely at the end.
This story had two murders that are not immediately known to be conected. The trail of data is complex and leads to a variety of suspects. The two main characters are police officers, a genius at detection, who has been brained damaged in a violent car accident named Dion and David Leith who is tasked with watching him by a senior officer.
Their relationship is difficult at best but fruitful in the investigation. The story revolves round those associated with a failing night club, Diamonds. It is a story in which you believe you have identified the villain but then the story surprises you.
There are no happy endings.The ending is graphic but fitting.
I appreciate Netgalley offering me a copy of this novel for an unbiased review. This is a novel I recommend to readers who enjoy multiple suspects and multiple lines of investigation going at the same time. This is well done since the loose ends come together nicely at the end.
August 19, 2017
I've really enjoyed the two books in this series that I've read and look forward to future novels by Ms Greenaway. I actually enjoyed this book even more than the first one. I've often thought how difficult it must be to come up with a title for a book that will grab a reader's attention, especially when you're a fairly new author, but I'm doubly impressed when the author titles the chapters as well. Likeable characters and very smooth reading.
April 8, 2017
Undertow is set in Vancouver where RCMP are presented with two puzzling cases. The first is the murder of a woman and her young child. The second is the murder of a wealthy man at his estate home.
Constable Dave Leith has recently relocated from Prince Rupert. He's second guessing that decision as he adjusts to the faster pace of the city and is somewhat defeated at the cost of housing. Constable Cal Dion has returned to Vancouver from northern BC where his path had crossed with Leith's. Dion is a bit of a wild card with emotional issues. He attempts to leave the force when he gets involved with a group of people connected to one of the murders.
I loved the Canadian setting. It's great to be able to picture some of the locations, there was even a side trip to Calgary. The cases were interesting, my only quibble was that the resolution seemed to fall into place without all the dots connecting. This is the second in a series and I will definitely go back and read the first book. Undertow was an enjoyable mystery.
Constable Dave Leith has recently relocated from Prince Rupert. He's second guessing that decision as he adjusts to the faster pace of the city and is somewhat defeated at the cost of housing. Constable Cal Dion has returned to Vancouver from northern BC where his path had crossed with Leith's. Dion is a bit of a wild card with emotional issues. He attempts to leave the force when he gets involved with a group of people connected to one of the murders.
I loved the Canadian setting. It's great to be able to picture some of the locations, there was even a side trip to Calgary. The cases were interesting, my only quibble was that the resolution seemed to fall into place without all the dots connecting. This is the second in a series and I will definitely go back and read the first book. Undertow was an enjoyable mystery.
March 31, 2017
Another complex, hard-to-put-down crime novel in the BC Blues series. Again we meet detectives Cal Dion and Dave Leith, this time in North Vancouver where northerner Leith is a fish out of water. The characters, who couldn't be more different from each other, keep me switching allegiances throughout the book. And eager for the next read in this satisfying series.
May 7, 2021
Another 'keep you guessing' mystery which I like. Bonus: it's Canadian and set in Vancouver.
January 28, 2017
This is the second novel in which constable dion is one of the prime protagonists. All the way through he is just on the edge of getting into serious trouble and one doesn't want that to happen. By the end, it looks as though whatever his secret is may be safe. Have to wait for the next novel to find out. Lots of police procedure and a large cast of unsavoury people, set around Vancouver make for a very enjoyable read.
October 25, 2016
Love the continuing backstory in this series!
June 16, 2017
Great story, a solid follow-up to Cold Girl! Leith and Dion are fascinating counter-points, and the story line is full of twists and turns and surprises.
Looking forward to the next in the series!
Looking forward to the next in the series!
July 29, 2021
"Undertow” the second in the B.C. Blues Crime series opens as RCMP constables David Leith and Cal Dion transferred from Hazelton to North Vancouver British Columbia are swept up in the murder of a Cheryl Liu and her infant daughter while her four -year-old son is discovered hiding in the back of a cupboard. Searching for the whereabouts of her husband Lance, an electrician, they soon find him dead, his body beaten near his truck. With no motive or clues to the deaths, the young boy traumatized and his father’s phone missing, a second murder has the constables searching the home of a nightclub owner for clues and suspects.
With twists and turns in the two murder mysteries that keep you on the edge of your seat, R.M. Greenaway weaves in Constable Dion’s ongoing struggle after an accident that killed his friend/partner left him with a brain injury that makes him forgetful or incoherent at times. In a startling twist, as his relationships at work break down, Dion decides to quit the force and head to the oil fields in Alberta only to be swept up in a friendship with the sister and brother-in-law of Oscar Roth the murdered victim.
In the same vein, David Leith leaving behind his wife and daughter in the north finds life intolerable without them and has to make a decision whether or not to have his family move to North Vancouver. Even with the two cases heating up and one seemingly without any clues Leith is dragged into a secret investigation of the accident that killed Dion’s friend/fellow officer Looch.
Well-written and intricately woven Leith continues to follow police procedure and interrogate suspects while intensity and suspense build as Dion resigns from the force becoming friends with the murdered victim’s sister and brother-in-law. Infusing life into a page-turning plot the author weaves complex and intriguing characters like odd but perceptive Constable Cal Dion with his poor reporting skills and lack of stamina; Constable David Leith who’s a moody, by-the-book officer; Jamie Paquette the shallow, cold-digging, unpredictable girlfriend of Oscar Roth; and his in control and stable wife Cleo. Flowing seamlessly, the plot quickly draws to an fascinating and surprising climax with Dion showing a lot of courage in a startling encounter.
I thoroughly enjoyed “Undertow” and intend to continue with this well-developed series.
With twists and turns in the two murder mysteries that keep you on the edge of your seat, R.M. Greenaway weaves in Constable Dion’s ongoing struggle after an accident that killed his friend/partner left him with a brain injury that makes him forgetful or incoherent at times. In a startling twist, as his relationships at work break down, Dion decides to quit the force and head to the oil fields in Alberta only to be swept up in a friendship with the sister and brother-in-law of Oscar Roth the murdered victim.
In the same vein, David Leith leaving behind his wife and daughter in the north finds life intolerable without them and has to make a decision whether or not to have his family move to North Vancouver. Even with the two cases heating up and one seemingly without any clues Leith is dragged into a secret investigation of the accident that killed Dion’s friend/fellow officer Looch.
Well-written and intricately woven Leith continues to follow police procedure and interrogate suspects while intensity and suspense build as Dion resigns from the force becoming friends with the murdered victim’s sister and brother-in-law. Infusing life into a page-turning plot the author weaves complex and intriguing characters like odd but perceptive Constable Cal Dion with his poor reporting skills and lack of stamina; Constable David Leith who’s a moody, by-the-book officer; Jamie Paquette the shallow, cold-digging, unpredictable girlfriend of Oscar Roth; and his in control and stable wife Cleo. Flowing seamlessly, the plot quickly draws to an fascinating and surprising climax with Dion showing a lot of courage in a startling encounter.
I thoroughly enjoyed “Undertow” and intend to continue with this well-developed series.
March 23, 2017
Set in Canada, Undertow by R.M. Greenaway is an intriguing police procedural. This latest release is the second installment in the B.C. Blues series and while it can be read as a standalone, I strongly recommend reading the series in order to fully understand the characters' backstories.
Royal Canadian Mounted Police Constables Cal Dion and Dave Leith have recently been transferred to North Vancouver and are once again working together. Leith is struggling with living apart from his wife and daughter and he is also trying to assimilate to his transition to a life in a big city. Dion is still making progress with his recovery from a traumatic brain injury but he is frustrated by his memory lapses and lack of focus. He is also depressed as he tries to settle back into his old life but does not fit comfortably in the world he once inhabited.
Leith and Dion are both trying to solve the heartbreaking murders of the Liu family when they are called to the scene of the puzzling murder of wealthy businessman Oscar Roth. The investigations into the murders are not really turning up any leads when Dion makes a sudden decision that leads to some very enlightening information.
Dave is much older than Cal and he is a competent constable who relies on old fashioned detective work during the investigation. Despite Cal's cognitive problems, he is quite intuitive but these flashes of brilliance sometime slip away before he can fully comprehend what he has just discovered. The two men do not seem to really like each other but they do set aside their differences during the investigations.
Cal has plenty of tricks to make it appear that he is fit for duty. But maintaining the facade that he is back to normal is exhausting and he doubts his competence. His inability to fit back into his old life leads him to make a somewhat impetuous decision about his career. He then becomes unexpectedly involved with some of the key witnesses in the investigations but can he really turn off the instincts that have become second nature to him over the years? When he unexpectedly stumbles onto a witness that could help solve the Liu murders, he is quick to call Dave but has Cal inadvertently tainted the investigation?
Despite the sometimes confusing storyline involving Cal Dion's past, Undertow is a riveting murder mystery. The investigations are fairly straight forward even though it takes a while for the pieces to begin to fall into place. Dion and Leith are both likable protagonists and in spite of their very different styles when it comes to detective work, they are a formidable investigative team. R.M. Greenaway has an enjoyable writing style but the slow parceling of information about Dion's past is sometimes a little frustrating. This newest addition to the B.C. Blues series comes to a very clever conclusion that wraps up all of the loose ends with the current investigations. However, readers will have wait for further installments to (hopefully) learn more about Cal Dion and his tangled past.
Royal Canadian Mounted Police Constables Cal Dion and Dave Leith have recently been transferred to North Vancouver and are once again working together. Leith is struggling with living apart from his wife and daughter and he is also trying to assimilate to his transition to a life in a big city. Dion is still making progress with his recovery from a traumatic brain injury but he is frustrated by his memory lapses and lack of focus. He is also depressed as he tries to settle back into his old life but does not fit comfortably in the world he once inhabited.
Leith and Dion are both trying to solve the heartbreaking murders of the Liu family when they are called to the scene of the puzzling murder of wealthy businessman Oscar Roth. The investigations into the murders are not really turning up any leads when Dion makes a sudden decision that leads to some very enlightening information.
Dave is much older than Cal and he is a competent constable who relies on old fashioned detective work during the investigation. Despite Cal's cognitive problems, he is quite intuitive but these flashes of brilliance sometime slip away before he can fully comprehend what he has just discovered. The two men do not seem to really like each other but they do set aside their differences during the investigations.
Cal has plenty of tricks to make it appear that he is fit for duty. But maintaining the facade that he is back to normal is exhausting and he doubts his competence. His inability to fit back into his old life leads him to make a somewhat impetuous decision about his career. He then becomes unexpectedly involved with some of the key witnesses in the investigations but can he really turn off the instincts that have become second nature to him over the years? When he unexpectedly stumbles onto a witness that could help solve the Liu murders, he is quick to call Dave but has Cal inadvertently tainted the investigation?
Despite the sometimes confusing storyline involving Cal Dion's past, Undertow is a riveting murder mystery. The investigations are fairly straight forward even though it takes a while for the pieces to begin to fall into place. Dion and Leith are both likable protagonists and in spite of their very different styles when it comes to detective work, they are a formidable investigative team. R.M. Greenaway has an enjoyable writing style but the slow parceling of information about Dion's past is sometimes a little frustrating. This newest addition to the B.C. Blues series comes to a very clever conclusion that wraps up all of the loose ends with the current investigations. However, readers will have wait for further installments to (hopefully) learn more about Cal Dion and his tangled past.
July 31, 2017
Excellent book for a summer read.
This Canadian crime author nails her second book in the B.C. Blues Crime series.
So many characters ripe to be the killer but all the right clues lead us to the right one/s.
Setting of North Van and environs hits the right note, big city clash with mountains and seafront, wilderness, concrete, and, always, the element of menace and crime big cities attract.
Central detective characters Cal Dion and Dave Leith are total opposites but somehow gel to get to the centre of a strangely connected murder spree.
Hedonism, cockiness, stalking, threesomes and mostly greed the core of this thriller.
Author hits the pacing well, characters are well-drawn and fleshed out. Story never lags.
My interest is well piqued to read her first crime tale, Cold Girl.
This Canadian crime author nails her second book in the B.C. Blues Crime series.
So many characters ripe to be the killer but all the right clues lead us to the right one/s.
Setting of North Van and environs hits the right note, big city clash with mountains and seafront, wilderness, concrete, and, always, the element of menace and crime big cities attract.
Central detective characters Cal Dion and Dave Leith are total opposites but somehow gel to get to the centre of a strangely connected murder spree.
Hedonism, cockiness, stalking, threesomes and mostly greed the core of this thriller.
Author hits the pacing well, characters are well-drawn and fleshed out. Story never lags.
My interest is well piqued to read her first crime tale, Cold Girl.
October 12, 2017
Probably deserves a 3.5. Second in the series of recurring RCMP characters, found in northern BC in the first volume, now back in the lower Mainland including formerly astute major crimes case solver Cal Dion who is struggling to maintain his functioning while back to work recovering from a serious acquired brain injury from a car crash a year ago, in which one of his colleagues died.
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December 16, 2018
This book has a good mix of characters (as flawed as they are), intricate plot and police drama. As a bonus for me this series is set in BC and, in fact, this particular book takes place nearby my work office in North Van. Fans of the genre will enjoy the twists and turns ... and there is plenty of room within the story-lines of the two main detectives to create numerous sequels. Enjoyable.
October 25, 2020
This is one of my favorite new crime series and I always look forward to the next book out. I can relate to Leith's frustration at being overlooked for being solid and dependable, rather than flashy, at his job. And Dion, while frustrating, is endearing enough to make me stick with the stories. Though I think after five books, we should know more about the 'fateful night' of his accident than we do.
December 19, 2019
Undertow is a great mystery from the beginning, until all the pieces fall into place. Well written with evolving characters with their own personalities and storylines. Looking forward to discovering more of Cal Dion’s secret in future novels.
October 15, 2017
This convoluted plot took some time to settle down, but it was a good mystery to while away a few days. I look forward to the next book in this series.
September 4, 2018
Liked the first one better, but willing to try #3.
December 6, 2018
Underwhelming but shows promise as a series with better editing and less convoluted crimes.
April 2, 2023
Kind of slow but the story is definitely fun!
January 5, 2017
4 Stars
Both Calvin “Cal” Dion and Dave Leith move back to the Vancouver RCMP office from the north. While Leith is surprised to see Dion there, Dion is worried about “faking” to some degree just how much he has recovered from his car crash.
The first murder they catch is the Liu family. Missing from the scene are a vase and a child’s bootie. Both mysteries seem to make no sense. The only surviving member of the family is four-year old Joey. Joey gives confusing and conflicting account of what happened that night. But who can blame the young child?
Sergeant Bosko is concerned about Dion’s lapses is attention and his reporting style. And something else is bothering him. He asks Leith to keep an eye on him.
Another murder is committed at a rural house. A wealthy man is found in his garage, beaten and suffocated by means of leaving his car running in the garage. Immediately, the questioning of his family members commences.
Meanwhile, Dion drives out to the scene where his accident took place. He worries about the sign telling people that the land is for sale. Does that mean that contractors will be digging the place up soon?
Dion walks out on his job. He connects with one of the suspects, Jon,at his nightclub, Diamonds. Staying at Jon’s nightclub, he ignores Leith and Sergeant Bosko’s repeated phone calls. Bosko finally threatens him with arrest if he doesn’t come in to talk to him.
Another person dies. Murder or accident?
Through a convolution of circumstances, Dion figures out who committed the murders. It is a twisted trail he follows. I did not figure it out until Dion explained it to Leith. It was a brilliant move by Ms. Greenaway.
I want to thank Netgalley and Dundurn for forwarding to me a copy of this well written book.
Both Calvin “Cal” Dion and Dave Leith move back to the Vancouver RCMP office from the north. While Leith is surprised to see Dion there, Dion is worried about “faking” to some degree just how much he has recovered from his car crash.
The first murder they catch is the Liu family. Missing from the scene are a vase and a child’s bootie. Both mysteries seem to make no sense. The only surviving member of the family is four-year old Joey. Joey gives confusing and conflicting account of what happened that night. But who can blame the young child?
Sergeant Bosko is concerned about Dion’s lapses is attention and his reporting style. And something else is bothering him. He asks Leith to keep an eye on him.
Another murder is committed at a rural house. A wealthy man is found in his garage, beaten and suffocated by means of leaving his car running in the garage. Immediately, the questioning of his family members commences.
Meanwhile, Dion drives out to the scene where his accident took place. He worries about the sign telling people that the land is for sale. Does that mean that contractors will be digging the place up soon?
Dion walks out on his job. He connects with one of the suspects, Jon,at his nightclub, Diamonds. Staying at Jon’s nightclub, he ignores Leith and Sergeant Bosko’s repeated phone calls. Bosko finally threatens him with arrest if he doesn’t come in to talk to him.
Another person dies. Murder or accident?
Through a convolution of circumstances, Dion figures out who committed the murders. It is a twisted trail he follows. I did not figure it out until Dion explained it to Leith. It was a brilliant move by Ms. Greenaway.
I want to thank Netgalley and Dundurn for forwarding to me a copy of this well written book.
April 17, 2017
Undertow: A B.C. Blues Crime Novel is the second book in the series by R.M. Greenaway. Undertow is the first book of Greenaway's that I have read.
The setting is what first got my attention. It is set near to my BC home and I am very familiar with all the locations utilized by the author. A great job was done representing the BC settings.
Greenaway has created some great characters in this series. The RCMP officers, Bosko, Leith and Dion, are all very interesting. I also found the characters that are unique to this novel to be interesting and believable.
I really enjoyed reading Undertow. I found that I had a hard time putting it down. I do recommend Undertow and I am looking forward to the next book in the series.
The setting is what first got my attention. It is set near to my BC home and I am very familiar with all the locations utilized by the author. A great job was done representing the BC settings.
Greenaway has created some great characters in this series. The RCMP officers, Bosko, Leith and Dion, are all very interesting. I also found the characters that are unique to this novel to be interesting and believable.
I really enjoyed reading Undertow. I found that I had a hard time putting it down. I do recommend Undertow and I am looking forward to the next book in the series.
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