Review of OVERKILL by Vanda Symon

3 Stars

I decided it was time to find a new mystery/detective series to listen to on my morning walks and opted for this book, the first in the Sam Shephard series set in New Zealand.  I read Symon’s Faceless last year and really liked it so I thought I’d check out her police procedural series. 

The body of Gabby Knowes is found on the riverbank in Mataura.  She left her young daughter Angel and a farewell note for her husband Lochie at home, so suicide seems to be the logical conclusion.  From the prologue, the reader knows that she was murdered, and it doesn’t take Sam Shephard, the sole-charge police constable in the rural town, to determine that Gabby is a murder victim.  Things are complicated, however, because Sam and Lochie were in a long-term relationship before their breakup and Lochie’s subsequent marriage.  Because of this prior relationship, she is suspended from duty and is added to the list of suspects.  Undeterred, she pursues the case on her own.

Because this is the first installment in the series, character development is key.  Sam is young and inexperienced, and that definitely affects her behaviour.  I found it difficult to believe that she doesn’t inform her superiors of her past relationship with Lochie.  And her failure to secure the house suggests a lack of knowledge about proper procedure.  She is eager and that’s a plus, but she tends to be reckless.  Once she has identified the murderer, she goes alone to confront him?!  I loved her feisty attitude, though her outspokenness does get her into difficulties with higher-ranking officers. 

Sam does let her personal feelings affect her investigation.  She still seems to have feelings for Lochie and seems jealous of Gabby.  Fortunately, Sam does show some personal growth, admitting that she behaved inappropriately after the breakup and may have misjudged Gabby.  The role of Sam’s roommate Maggie seems to be to call out Sam on her sometimes immature behaviour. 

The book begins on a high note.  Unfortunately, the same level of tension is not achieved afterwards.  There is actually not much suspense until the final scene.  Some scenes, like Sam’s trying to change a flat tire go on and on unnecessarily.  The motive for the murder seems a little unconvincing, though perhaps that’s the reason for the title. 

The portrayal of life in rural New Zealand and the book’s touches of humour made me think of The Brokenwood Mysteries, a television series set in a small town in the countryside of New Zealand.  The protagonist is Detective Inspector Mike Shepherd so even the names are similar. 

This is a fairly standard police procedural.  I’m hoping that Sam shows less impetuosity and more maturity in subsequent titles.