The End of the Wasp Season: A Novel [Hardcover]

Alex Morrow, is a tough Scottish detective. She has to be, she is a woman, and in this profession, you have to be tough, and besides she is a leader of men. She has just come from the funeral of her father, a man who had never been a father, but she loved him. Alex's brother, Danny, the equivalent of a mobster had planned the funeral. For that Alex was grateful and for nothing else. Alex is pregnant with twins, and this is a happy pregnancy, but for a detective in a busy unit, it causes some discomfort. Today, Alex was called to the home of a young woman, lying at the bottom of steep stairs, her faced stomped to bits. She was wearing a top but no panties, and came to be known among the squad as "The Legs'.

Denise Mina is one of the greats- my favorite author, Ian Rankin, considers her one of the most exciting new crime writers to come along. The fact that she is Scottish is a big plus. In this book she concentrates more on the characters than the plot. We are to have empathy for two young men considered to be suspects in this murder. We also meet their families and they are enough to give any of us chills. We also meet Kay, an old school friend of Alex's. She is a single mother of four, someone to be admired through her difficult life- a woman who loves her children and is there for them. And, we meet Sarah Errol, the murder victim. Denise Mina brings these charcters to life, we come to understand how they think and how they move through their lives. They matter, the victim, her family and the suspects and their families. Alex Morrow tries to keep her family close, never the twain shall meet. But, we do get a glimpse of Brian, and through her thoughts and actions, we come to find out how much Alex and Brian love each other. There is a softer side to Alex. She is very fair minded and always finds a way to bring the humaness to the murder victims, and the people she meets along the way. The men in her unit respect and admire her. It is Bannerman, the boss, who is disliked. Alex defends him, but understands the men's hatred. Bannerman was one of the characters who was a little misplaced in this novel. I am wondering if he will show up in the next novel.

Denise Mina is a brilliant crime writer- every detail is in place. The plot is well developed, but it is the characaters that are the most brilliant. We come to understand them, like them, even. Everyone except Bannerman, that is.

Highly Recommended. prisrob 09-29-11

Garnethill

Field of Blood: A Novel

I love Denise Mina's books. The atmosphere, the original characters, and the plot lines are all top notch. Invariably when I pick up one of her stories, I am completely entranced, and this was no different.

The End of Wasp Season tells the tale of a murder mystery and features a smart, witty, complex and strong female detective (Alex Morrow) as the primary crimesolver. The reader knows who is responsible for the murder early on, but the plot twists and turns and Morrow and her team try to figure it out. The story is deeper than just who is responsible for the murder. It also asks the question of who is responsible for the murderers. In addition, Mina's supporting cast of characters is, as ever, colorful. She seems to have a great sense of the politics going on around a police station and the jurisdictional catfights that sometimes ensue. It makes for a thriller that goes above and beyond its primary genre, reaching out into social issues that face us all.

The only warning I will give is to those who do not like graphic violence and/or strong language. These are features of all of Mina's novels and to me they add authenticity to her work. Thus I found this book to be nearly flawless and very difficult to put down. I look forward to a good night's sleep now that I've finished it.

This is #2 of Mina's Alex Morrow series, with #3 planned for publication in 2013.
I reviewed the debut title STILL MIDNIGHT a few weeks back.

In that first title Alex Morrow had recently returned to work after a breakdown and period of convalescence. DS Morrow has secrets that she would rather colleagues and bosses didn't know about. THE END OF THE WASP SEASON relates another of those secrets - Alex is attending her father's funeral, and meets up with her half-brother, local crime boss Danny McGrath. In STILL MIDNIGHT Alex asked Danny for a favour. In THE END OF THE WASP SEASON he has one to ask of her.

The opening pages of the novel though describe the death of Sarah Erroll at the hands of two gawky teenage boys. Sarah's attempt to phone 999 is treated as a prank call and Sarah signs her own death warrant when she tells one of the boys that she recognises him. The reader is really never given a clear description of how Sarah Erroll dies but a lot is made of using the blood spatters to determine which of the boys was responsible.

One of the boys, Thomas Anderson, is later told that his father has hung himself, although this is not the motivation behind the murder. He has to return home to become "head" of the family at fifteen, and then it becomes obvious how damaged and dysfunctional this family really is.

At work Alex's former DS colleague John Bannerman has been made DI, and he has resorted to bullying tactics with his team. The team on the other hand not only dislike Bannerman but they have no empathy with Sarah Erroll, the victim of the murder. The investigation by Morrow takes place against the background of police department politics. The fact that Alex Morrow is just over four months pregnant with twins is definitely a complicating factor.

Alex Morrow finds that she actually went to school with a woman who was the primary carer for Sarah Erroll's mother. A little predictably Kay and her sons become prime suspects for Sarah's murder. The unempathetic Bannerman is keen to wrap the investigation quickly by charging Kay.

I really enjoyed this novel, including the puzzle of the title. If you read it watch out for references to wasps. I love titles where the meaning is open to interpretation!
So, do yourself a favour - read these in order, go looking for STILL MIDNIGHT, read that first, and then savour THE END OF THE WASP SEASON.