The loss of a lifeboat along with all three of its crews is a hard blow for the small town of Knockhaven. But itβs harder still when police discover that the wreck may not have been a simple accident. Was it the act of bored vandals in a fishing port stricken with unemployment? Was there a link to the drug trade which has taken root in the locality? Or is there someone who, in their determination to kill one person, was callous enough to take two innocent lives?
As Detective Inspector Marjory Fleming and her team investigate the murders with a whole community hungry for justice, the pressureβprofessional and personalβis on.
From Publishers Weekly
Starred Review. Galloway, Scotland's smashing Det. Insp. Marjory Fleming returns in the terrific second installment (after 2005's Cold in the Earth) of a fascinating mystery series. Someone has deliberately wrecked a lifeboat, killing the three-person rescue team at the Knockhaven fishing port. The victims include Rob Anderson, the popular Anchor Inn pub owner; Dr. Ashley Randall, a sexy physician having a mutually adulterous affair with real estate developer Ritchie Elder; and Luke Smith, a suicidal teacher whose 13-year-old student Kylie MacEwan is dating Rob's 16-year-old troublemaking stepson, Nathan Rettie. Puzzling through all the possible suspects and motives, Marjory (Big Marge to her constables) juggles believable wife and mother challenges with her detecting duties as further murders add extra heat. Templeton's bravura plotting carries strongly through to the big reveal of a very surprising killer. (Mar.)
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Review
'It is always a pleasure to read Aline Templeton, but THE DARKNESS AND THE DEEP must surely be her best book to date. Aline's characters are so beautifully drawn ...' -- J Wallis Martin 'This is a book for a long train journey or a wet weekend with no other demands, the better to immerse oneself in the strongly-delineated characters, complex plotting and rich allegory: a really satisfactory read.' -- Mystery Women 'Loved it. She has become the crime czar of the Scottish small town!' -- Val McDermid 'In fictional terms the combination of domesticity and detection is very appealing, especially when it comes with a detailed, vivid portrayal of a complete society ... an interesting, atmospheric and - I predict - televisual series.' -- Literary Review 'Loved it' -- Val McDermid 'It is always a pleasure to read Aline Templeton, but THE DARKNESS AND THE DEEP must surely be her best book to date. Aline's characters are so beautifully drawn that turning the final page is almost like bidding old friends farewell. However, I am sure I will meet the residents of Knockhaven again, and hopefully, that will be in the not-too-distant future.' -- J Wallis Martin An unalloyed pleasure - an intelligent, character-driven crime novel. -- Andrew Taylor on COLD IN THE EARTH 'A fascinating cast of possible villains is explored in this skilfully plotted and well-paced novel, each vividly described, entirely believable and never sliding into the usual parodies of country folk. But its real strength is DI Marjory Fleming, both tough and vulnerable as she struggles to track down the killer ... Templeton moves easily between laughter and tragedy ... This book is a delight, from its leisurely start to the moving and unexpected finish. Even better, it's the second in a series, so there's more pleasure to come.' -- Guardian Aline Templeton has been producing quietly intelligent, carefully plotted thrillers for years. Templeton creates a tight, convincing band of characters and has the ability to spin her story beyond immediate events to paint a picture of a small rural community in crisis. She is good at managing her plot and revealing details slowly. She has demonstrated that, just when we thought Scotland was saturated with detectives, a strong woman can elbow her way in and find a unique niche. -- Scotsman on COLD IN THE EARTH A compelling read. -- Margaret Yorke on COLD IN THE EARTH Templeton crafts a nifty plot amid the dour and inward-looking denizens of a Fenland village -- Scotsman on LAST ACT OF ALL Templeton has wit, a strong narrative sense and a dab hand with atmospherics -- Literary Review on LAST ACT OF ALL Aline Templeton has a wondrously deft, unpretentiously beautiful style, full of good things -- Hampstead & Highgate Express on THE TRUMPET This astringent tale of psychological suspense set in a remote Welsh valley uses the landscape with an almost visionary splendour -- The Times on NIGHT AND SILENCE