3 out of 4 stars
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In The 11:05 Murders, by Brian O’Hare, we meet Chief Inspector Jim Sheehan and his police unit. They are faced with solving three related murders that take place in Northern Ireland. Each killing happens at exactly 11:05 pm (hence the title) on three consecutive Tuesday nights.
The story opens 12 years earlier. Lynda, a student at a college party, is forced into a room by three male students where she is then raped. The reader has several mysteries to solve: How are the present murders related to what happened to Lynda more than a decade ago, who is the killer and why did he or she commit these crimes?
Action in the novel centers primarily around Woman Detective Sargent Denise Stewart. She has recently been promoted and is also being transferred into Sheehan’s unit, after exposing a case of corruption by her former supervisor. Her process of moving past the negative experience at her old post and acclimating to her new one is a major secondary plot in the story. Denise is assigned to the current murder investigation and turns out to be the key to its resolution.
What I enjoyed most about the novel was the cast of characters. I particularly liked Chief Inspector Sheehan. The author draws him as a good leader, who inspires loyalty in his officers individually and as a group. He sets a high standard for his crew but at the same time encourages them to be a cohesive unit. Denise is appealing for her warm heart and crusading nature. Tom Allen is fun, bold and yet amusingly awkward, all at same time.
It was disappointing to me that, early on, I easily guessed the killer and my choice turned out to be correct. While I was almost distracted by several red herrings thrown out by the author as the novel unfolded, they were not convincing enough to keep me guessing throughout or question my initial choice.
I would recommend this book to those who like murder mysteries. However, I would caution that this is not a “cozy mystery.” There are graphic details about the method of the murders and the state of the bodies. This novel might also appeal to those who have an interest in Northern Ireland, as some events described in the book took place against the back drop of “The Troubles.”
I rate The 11:05 Murders 3 out of 4 stars. It didn’t quite get to 4 stars for me, in part because I easily guessed the killer. Also, the early chapters could have been better edited in terms of the pace of the narrative. There were several that ended rather abruptly and without a good sense of transition to the next chapter. One example involves the testimony Denise gives in the corruption case.
However, these are minor criticisms. Overall, this one is well worth your time if you are a murder mystery fan.
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The 11.05 Murders
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