I need a hard target search

Author : Michel Bussi
Title : Don't Let Go
Published : 0/03/2018
Pages : 352
Genre : Mystery
Publisher : W&N

     Picture the scene - an idyllic resort on the island of Réunion. Martial and Liane Bellion are enjoying the perfect moment with their six-year-old daughter. Turquoise skies, clear water, palm trees, a warm breeze... Then Liane Bellion disappears. She went up to her hotel room between 3 and 4 pm and never came back. When the room is opened, it is empty, but there is blood everywhere. An employee of the hotel claims to have seen Martial in the corridor during that crucial hour.

     I came across this author when I read his book After The Crash. It was a book that pulled the reader in. A story of the desperate search for identity and the hunt for a killer. I raced through it in one sitting so captivating was that story, so when I was buying a pile of new books a couple of weekends ago I saw this on the shelf. The description was one I once again found intriguing. A setting right out of paradise and killer that would seem to be all sewn up. But I know from experience with this author that things are very rarely what they seem. I would point out that I had to look up the island of Réunionn as I had no idea where it was. Off the coast of Madagascar as it turns out. 

     When it comes to characters the author gives them to us in bounds. This allows for us to follow the case from multiple angles which I think helped to build up the tension in thick and darkening layers. Bussi gives us a tale of cat and mouse between the police force and Martial the murder victims husband. As the book shifts perspective between these viewpoints I was left with baited breath to get back to the previous one. When following the husband I never felt anything was let slip as to his ultimate guilt or not. He came across as a someone who was trying to do the best by his daughter in an impossible situation all the while trying to avoid the authorities. And with that in mind, we get Detective Captain Aja Purvi She is a strong and determined woman who will prove to the others in the police force of this small island that she can cut it with the best of them. But cases are not always solved by a single person so to give her some help we get Christos who's there when forensics work is needed. It was nice to once again to spend some time with intelligent cops who can see beyond what is first given to them. 

     I can safely say I wasn't let down with my second foray into this authors work. The case was maybe not as complex as I had first thought it might be, but it definitely did not go where I thought it would and by the conclusion I was left feeling dumbfounded. With this book, the author brings to life the sumptuous surrounding for his characters to play in. He makes it easy for you to see everything that goes on and floats off the page. All the while wrapping you up in this dark murder mystery. As we spend more time trying to piece together the murder we also start to learn that this loving husband has a track record when it comes to the island.  I think this is one of the better mystery books I have read so far this year. It keeps your brain working as you try and beat the cops to the answers. This is helped along the way by being put in the mind of Martial's daughter who you have to feel empathy for. She doesn't understand the situation and fears that her father has done exactly what the police think he did.

     This is not really your run of the mill detective story but it gives you a great thrill ride along the way. I also like that Bussi's stories are self-contained little world and give you just what you're looking for I'm sure it won't be long till I read Black Water Lilies.