Many thanks to Anne Cater and Orenda Books for the blog tour invite and ARC; here is my review of The Ringmaster by Vanda Symon.
Marginalised by previous antics, Sam Shephard, is on the bottom rung of detective training in Dunedin, and her boss makes sure she knows it. She gets involved in her first homicide investigation, when a university student is murdered in the Botanic Gardens, and Sam soon discovers this is not an isolated incident. There is a chilling prospect of a predator loose in Dunedin, and a very strong possibility that the deaths are linked to a visiting circus…
Determined to find out who’s running the show, and to prove herself, Sam throws herself into an investigation that can have only one ending…
What does TWG think?
I really suggest that, before reading ‘The Ringmaster’, that you read the previous book in the series. I didn’t do this and I wish I had, as I feel like my experience of the latest book would have been more in depth if I had.
‘The Ringmaster’ is rather clever and full of wit. I didn’t know want to make of Sam Shephard though, to be honest. I felt that the character had so much to give, yet had the type of personality which was multi layered and only available to those she trusted. Again, very cleverly done as my interest to Sam’s psyche, was constantly piqued.
I enjoyed the unique setting of the book, and felt that it put the storyline on the map in a way I have never seen before. I was very impressed by the well written passages, and complex storyline which left me wanting more.
I did, however, feel as though something was missing so for me personally, I struggled to gel with the pace of the book and the notion that I had missed out on something, whatever that may have been.
All in all, it was a pleasure to pop my Vanda Symon cherry, and I am very looking forward to losing myself in the authors witty and atmospheric words once again.
The Writing Garnet 