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Blackwater Bluff
From the back "Prince Edward County Crown Attorney Augie de Graaf is forced to take a leave of absence after a courtroom assault puts her on crutches, and she is excluded from the investigation into the death of her mentor, Ruth Neill. Despite the official isolation, Augie won't stay home. She starts her own inquiries, certain the location of Ruth's body, found in her car in the depths of Blackwater Bluff, is central to clearing the case. No one else agrees. When the lead detective takes aim at Ruth's husband as the prime suspect, Augie knows the time for finding the truth is getting short. What Augie does not know is that time is running out for her as well."
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Published June 1, 2018
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Displaying 1 - 4 of 4 reviews
June 30, 2020
As a booklover, one who reads a multitude of fiction from all genres every month, I have a checklist in my head of what I treasure in a book. Blackwater Bluff by writer Shelagh Mathers (aka S. M. Hurley) meets all aspects of it. It has mystery—check. It is fast-moving—check. It has compelling characters—check. It has an emotional punch—check. Set in Prince Edward County, a picturesque island on the north shore of Lake Ontario, it tempts the reader to explore every nook and cranny—check. I always felt somewhat on edge when reading this novel, which can be attributed to the suspense and tension that is skillfully created and built up through the story—check, check.
The story follows Crown Attorney Augie de Graaf, who investigates the death of her beloved mentor, Ruth Neill, found in her car at the bottom of the bay. Despite being sidelined by a vicious assault in the courtroom, Augie thumps around on crutches to seek justice for her friend. When Detective Geoff Cunningham points an accusatory finger at Ruth’s partner, Joseph O’Rorke, Augie stops at nothing to clear his name, even though in doing so she enrages her superior and other colleagues while putting her life in danger.
In publishing circles, they would categorize Blackwater Bluff as upmarket fiction, which is a book that appeals to audiences of both commercial and literary fiction. Commercial fiction—for example, The Da Vinci Code by Dan Brown—is plot-driven, with lots of action scenes, involving the protagonist pursuing a goal or overcoming a challenge. Literary fiction—for instance, A Fine Balance by Rohinton Mistry—puts emphasis on character development and creative form and language. Commonly denoted as a “book-club novel,” a book that is upmarket fiction tackles universal, elevated themes while remaining accessible to the general public, a book such as About a Boy by Nick Hornby.
The books by Brown, Mistry and Hornby are well-known, whereas S. M. Hurley’s book is not. But it should be!
It is a pearl hidden in a shell. It’s time for it to be extracted and added to a string of best-sellers.
The story follows Crown Attorney Augie de Graaf, who investigates the death of her beloved mentor, Ruth Neill, found in her car at the bottom of the bay. Despite being sidelined by a vicious assault in the courtroom, Augie thumps around on crutches to seek justice for her friend. When Detective Geoff Cunningham points an accusatory finger at Ruth’s partner, Joseph O’Rorke, Augie stops at nothing to clear his name, even though in doing so she enrages her superior and other colleagues while putting her life in danger.
In publishing circles, they would categorize Blackwater Bluff as upmarket fiction, which is a book that appeals to audiences of both commercial and literary fiction. Commercial fiction—for example, The Da Vinci Code by Dan Brown—is plot-driven, with lots of action scenes, involving the protagonist pursuing a goal or overcoming a challenge. Literary fiction—for instance, A Fine Balance by Rohinton Mistry—puts emphasis on character development and creative form and language. Commonly denoted as a “book-club novel,” a book that is upmarket fiction tackles universal, elevated themes while remaining accessible to the general public, a book such as About a Boy by Nick Hornby.
The books by Brown, Mistry and Hornby are well-known, whereas S. M. Hurley’s book is not. But it should be!
It is a pearl hidden in a shell. It’s time for it to be extracted and added to a string of best-sellers.
September 13, 2018
I read this novel in less than three days and was blown away by the excellent storyline about a murder in Prince Edward County, Canada. The main character is a lawyer who is on temporary leave from her position as Assistant Crown Attorney.
September 5, 2020
Un personnage principal attachant et crédible, un bon scénario....mais je dois dire que je suis restée sur ma faim. Un très bon roman qui m'a gardé, en esprit, quelques jours de plus à Prince Edward County.
December 10, 2022
This was a perfect summertime read, particularly after spending some time at Sandbanks! It quickly pulled me in to the characters and mystery, and the added bonus of local geography was great. A pleasant surprise.
Displaying 1 - 4 of 4 reviews