It’s hard to believe that February is nearly over and March is right around the corner. It’s bright and chilly this morning, and it certainly feels like we’re finally experiencing winter, but who knows what kind of weather March will bring? It is my least favourite month for that very reason, the uncertainty and fluctuation of the weather, and I feel as though February was already very March-like in that way… *sigh*... it’s like two months of my least favourite weather patterns. But I’m going to enjoy the winter weather while we have it and get out for a long walk this afternoon. For now, I’ve got a delicious steaming cup of Pu-ehr Exotic tea to keep me warm and cozy as I write this post.
I was at our local independent bookshop last weekend where I discovered that one of my favourite psychological thriller writers, Michael Robotham, has a new “Cyrus Haven” book out in paperback, which I bought immediately. I tried reading a couple of the Silver Birch books from the library, but was too excited about this new purchase to focus, so I sat down with the book and devoured it in just a couple of days. Lying Beside You opens with forensic psychologist Cyrus Haven coming to terms with the fact that his older brother Elias will soon be released from a secure psychiatric hospital after spending the past 20 years there for murdering his parents and younger sisters. Cyrus was the sole survivor, and only because he wasn’t at home at the time of the murders. Elias is schizophrenic, but with medication and treatment, he has been deemed ready to re-enter society, with Cyrus’ help, of course. Cyrus has not only his own complex emotions surrounding this release to contend with; he has twenty-one-year-old Evie Cormac to consider. Evie has been living in Cyrus’ grandparents’ house with him for the past year, after being taken in once she was no longer living at the children’s home. She also has no family, and has witnessed horrific things in her short lifetime, and Cyrus wants to protect her as well, while still honouring his responsibilities towards his brother. Cyrus works as a consultant with the police and when a man is murdered and his daughter disappears, he is called in to provide a profile of the killer. The lead investigator is a former rival of Cyrus’ who is not overly welcoming, but must acknowledge that he is a valuable asset to the investigation. When more women disappear and the bar where Evie works is involved, she, too, becomes entangled in the investigation. She is also dealing with her strong feelings of attraction towards Cyrus, and is frustrated that they are not reciprocated. Can Cyrus manage both Elias and Evie, and help identify the killer before more women are murdered? You’ll have to read the book to find out. I have to say, while it was a page-turner and grabbed me right away, it wasn’t his best. I think the second in the series, When She was Good, was the best, followed closely by Good Girl, Bad Girl. This is the third in the series, and I was hoping it would be as good as or better than the previous two, but it was a bit of a disappointment. Oh well, it was still a good book, and I discovered much about the complex relationships between Evie and Cyrus, and Cyrus and Elias. If you are new to this series, you should definitely start with the first one - I actually have a sudden desire to reread the first and second books myself, they were that good!
OK, that’s it for today. Enjoy the sunshine and don’t forget to pick up a good book!
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