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Wednesday, January 11, 2017

The Lost Woman by Sara Blaedel

The Lost Woman is the sixth book in Sara Blaedel's Louise Rick series.  As with many good series, it is not imperative that you begin with the first book.  I had not read any of the previous books, but did not find that it hindered my enjoyment. 
  Shot with a hunting rifle through her kitchen window, the woman is dead before she hits the ground. Though murdered in England, it turns out that the woman, Sofie Parker, is a Danish citizen--one who's been missing for almost two decades--so Louise Rick is called on to the case.  (blurb
While the murder of a Danish woman in England might not justify involving the Danish police, Sofie Parker has been listed as missing for eighteen years and was, at the time, the girlfriend of Eik Nordstrom, Louise Rick's lover and colleague.  As events develop, Eik becomes a suspect.

Eventually, a connection is made to a group that supports assisted and accompanied dying.   As Louise begins seeking information, a woman she planned to speak to is murdered.  when Louise realizes that other members of the group have recently been murdered in similar fashion, her investigation narrows.

Louise's friend Camilla, a journalist, becomes interested in writing a story about the reasons for choosing assisted suicide, how people connect (it is illegal in Denmark, but Switzerland has a non-profit group that provides the means and support if an individual qualifies), and about the process of the procedure.  

Although I found several aspects of the plot too coincidental, I ended up enjoying the book and the characters and liked the way assisted dying was covered.  Whether you agree or disagree, it is a contemporary dilemma that needs more discussion.

NetGalley/Grand Central Publishing

Mystery/Detective.  2014; Feb. 7, 2017.  Print length:  304 pages.

8 comments:

  1. I'll have to look into Blaedel's other books, too. Always nice to find a new author to enjoy. Cheers! :)

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    1. It is nice to have a new author to read while waiting for others to finish their latest books! :)

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  2. I've not read any of this author's books, but I've seen a few around. I think she might be one of those authors whose books are being published out of order - which is always irritating to me, but I know doesn't bother you as much. LOL

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    1. While I prefer to read in order, if I start with a later book, I'm glad I can go back to the first book instead of waiting for the next one! :)

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  3. I think it has an interesting premise, with the foreign citizenship and all. I like series which can read as a standalone but of course if it's not, I can always go back to the first book if I like the characters enough. :)

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    1. Some series work well as stand alones, others not as well. :) I agree that if the characters and plot appeal, you can always go back to the first book!

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  4. I've read a couple of books in this series but I cannot remember in which order I've read them. Glad to hear that this one can be read as a standalone. I'm curious about this one so I hope to get to it!

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    1. I haven't read anything else by Blaedel, but I did enjoy this one and will look for more at the library!

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