The Long Game by Simon Rowell
Expected Publication: 3rd August 2021
Genre: Mystery, Crime, Police Detective
4.3 Stars
Detective Sergeant Zoe Meyers is back in action
after a recovery break of 4 months. Her first day at work takes her to a crime
scene in the sweltering heat of Melbourne. Accompanied by her loyal service
dog, Harry, Zeo, works with her team to find the killer.
A small meeting with an investigative journalist
leads her to examine a couple of past cases. And when her current case follows
the same pattern, Zoe knows it’s all too neat. The killer isn’t the one the
evidence points to. Her team is hesitant and doubtful. After all, Zoe is back
from a break, and the case isn’t meaty enough for her.
But instincts are never wrong, and when Zoe starts
digging for the truth, things become clear (or maybe not). Zoe isn’t the one to
give up, and she’s vowed to get the killer behind the bars.
The Long Game sounds like a perfect police mystery,
and in many ways, it is. The writing is neat, crisp, and steady. The plot flows
well, though it seemed a little too easily tied up at the end. Zoe is
assertive, methodical, and smart. She knows to trust her instincts and connect
the dots. She’s also brave and capable.
However, Zoe is still recovering and gets panic
attacks (hence the service dog) because of the previous case. Don’t worry,
though. The details of the case are shared as flashbacks in the book. The last
flashback is longer with all the information and comes at a crucial time. I skipped
it, completed the book, and went back to read the flashback. Since it has no
relation to the current case, this method worked great for me.
The book is standalone but has all elements of
becoming a successful series. The relationship between Zoe and her dog is
naturally woven into the story. We also see her dynamics with other police
personnel. (There should be a mandatory nasty guy in the office, and we do have
one here).
The case unfolds without too much drama. I enjoyed
that my thoughts were almost always in sync with Zoe’s. I didn’t have to mutter
about her not seeing what’s right in front of her. Zoe reminded me of Eve
Dallas from the In Death Series by JD Robb. Eve has been here for a long time,
and it’s natural to compare. Zoe can stand on her own and assert her identity
if the author decides to turn this into a series.
Since I could finish it in two days, I added the
extra 0.3 stars.
Overall, this is a good crime thriller to enjoy
without stressing the grey cells. The Australian setting and police procedural
were fun to read. I haven't read any until this book.
I received an ARC from NetGalley and Text Publishing.
#TheLongGame #NetGalley
I like crime thrillers. Sounds interesting. Will keep a watch for this.
ReplyDeleteThis one is good. Flows well. :)
Delete