Review of DEADMAN'S POOL by Kate Rhodes (New Release)

 4 Stars

Though this is my first book by this author, I’ve learned that this is actually the eighth book in the Isles of Scilly Mysteries.

DI Ben Kitto unearths the body of a young Vietnamese girl buried near ruins on the island of St Helen’s. With no connection to anyone on the “tiny archipelago with less than two thousand souls,” Ben suspects that she may have been the victim of human trafficking. As Ben and his team investigate and try to find the person responsible, they come to believe that there may be another girl being held captive somewhere, so locating her adds extra urgency.

Most of the novel focuses on Ben’s perspective. The reader follows the investigation from his point of view and sees his struggles: foul weather, an antagonistic supervisor, and people keeping secrets. We also learn about Ben’s home life with his wife Nina and their one-year-old son Noah. Though there are some tensions, it is home that provides Ben with stability and a respite from his work. His love for Nina and Noah is very evident.

There are also brief interludes from the point of view of Mai, a sixteen-year-old Vietnamese girl who has been held captive by a man for six years. She has recently given birth to a son Lao whom the man has taken away. I found her sections a harrowing read though her descriptions of all she has endured ensure that the reader becomes invested in her fate. She emerges as an amazingly strong person. Her parents taught her about kien, a word meaning “strength and resilience, the ability to survive disasters” and she certainly proves to possess those traits. In the end what is also impressive is her choice to put the protection of others ahead of her own safety.

Not having encountered Ben before, I enjoyed learning about him. He’s obviously intelligent and skilled at his job, but what stands out is his determination; “I need to know exactly what happened or her image will stain my memory forever.” He admits that he likes to do things at his own pace, but it’s clear that he will let nothing stand in his way. His boss is demanding and not especially supportive, but Ben perseveres. When he needs to question the islands’ power holders, he doesn’t hesitate. I also appreciated Ben’s comment about his “blunt communication style.”

The book has the reader playing detective along with Ben and his team. Because we are given Mai’s perspective, we know a bit about the perpetrator (such as his claim that music gives his life balance) and the type of place where she is being held captive, so as each man is questioned and his property searched, I asked myself whether he could be the one holding Mai captive. Of course there are several men whose musical interests are mentioned and almost everyone has an old shed or cellar or access to an abandoned building that could serve as a hiding spot. Several men behave suspiciously but then they have seemingly credible explanations. Teenagers spread rumours about a cabal of influential people involved in human trafficking. So there are many potential suspects. About three-quarters of the way through the novel, I had strong suspicions - which proved to be correct - but I wasn’t convinced and was strongly motivated to continue to the end. I appreciate when an author follows the fair play doctrine.

The book is a page turner. With the discovery of the body at the beginning, my interest was captured and it never waned thereafter. I was concerned for Mai’s fate as soon as she was introduced, but suspense ramped up when the case takes a personal turn for Ben and there really is a race against time.

I love touring islands. I love Canada’s Les Îles-de-la-Madeleine; Croatia’s islands such as Pag, Krk, and Korčula; Ireland’s Inis Mór and Skellig Michael; Holland’s Texel; Scotland’s Skye and Iona; and Denmark’s Faroe Islands. The author paints such a vivid picture of the Isles of Scilly and their sense of community that they have been added to my bucket list of places to visit.

I will have to backtrack and read the first seven Isles of Scilly books when time allows, but I will definitely read any books that continue the series.