The Drowning Ground is a debut novel with an unusual protagonist in Detective Chief Inspector Guillermo Downes and hopefully, it is the first in a new series. Set in the picturesque Cotswolds, this police procedural intrigued me from the first. DCI Downes (English father; Argentine mother) is a transplant from Buenos Aires and has been settled in the Cotswolds for several decades and who has a past that is hinted at through his homesickness for his home country of Argentina.
The brutal murder of Frank Hurst, a local farmer, leads not only Downes, but the entire community, to remember the death of Hurst's second wife ten years earlier and the disappearance of of two young girls.
In addition to these mysterious deaths and disappearances, Downes has a new sergeant who has been warned that Downes has successfully gotten rid of a number of his predecessors. Will the newly arrived Sgt. Graves work out?
The investigation into Hurst's death takes some unusual turns. His house has been turned into a fortress and then, mysteriously, burns to the ground. A long hidden body is discovered. Downes' sections are written in first person; Graves' sections are third person--giving a wider view of various situations. Some of the past of both Downes and Graves is hinted at and will, I expect, be enlarged on in future installments.
I was impressed with Marrison's first novel and hope for a sequel!
Crime/Police Procedural. Aug., 2015. 371 pages.
This sounds like a good one, Jenclair. I want to know what it is about DCI Downes that causes his sergeant to run off! He does sound like an interesting protagonist, especially given his background.
ReplyDeleteI liked DCI Downes and the connection to a terrible time in Argentina that has always chilled me. As a result, the back story of Downes is really interesting, even if only hinted at. The central plot that evolves around the murder of Hurst is also intriguing.
DeleteSounds interesting, Jenclair. And part English and part Argentine. Hmmm....I'll have to watch for this one or see if my library picks it up. I'm trying desperately to not 'buy' right now. LOL
ReplyDeleteI hope your library picks it up. I completely understand the need not to "buy"--my bank statement revealed unpleasant totals for books this month! Since I get most of my books free, the amount I spent on book purchases surprised me.
DeleteSounds like a promising series and DCI Downes definitely sounds like an interesting character. I'm glad you enjoyed reading it, Jenclair. Will have to check this out.
ReplyDeleteIt is a promising series, Melody, and I'm looking forward to another one!
DeleteGreat review! This has a lot of the ingredients that I need in my mysteries so on my list it goes :)
ReplyDeleteThanks, Iliana. I think you might like this one!
DeleteThis one sounds good, too. I better get off your blog before my TBR piles gets REALLY out of control :)
ReplyDeleteI liked having the transplanted DCI Downes in the bucolic English countryside, still feeling a bit out of place after all the years he has been there. The contrast between the appearance of a peaceful community and the more sinister elements that sometimes lie hidden in the same place works well here. Thanks for visiting!
Delete