Among the many good reads I
have come across on my rather (but not completely) indiscriminate spree
of downloading free ebooks from Amazon's kindle shop was "Color Tour" by
Aaron Stander. (I'm itching to write "Colour Tour", but the title is
really spelled "Color", as it is by an American writer.)
It is the 2nd of (so far) 8 mysteries featuring Ray Elkins, sheriff at a small community on the shores of Lake Michigan.
Ray comes across as
level-headed and deeply caring about his home town and its people. He is
single, middle-aged, and has a thing for great cheeses, oils and wines.
There was a woman living with him, but their relationship gradually
shifted to being good companions without the excitement of romance and
love, and she has moved away to be closer to her new grandchildren,
feeling her family now needs her more than Ray does.
A young couple is murdered on
the beach, the woman having been a teacher at a nearby boarding school.
Rays investigation leads him deep into the close-knit world of an elite
private school where teachers, students and staff are together almost
24/7, with all the conflict and issues people can have with each other
in such an environment. Throw in a load of teenagers with raging
hormones, some teachers with alcohol problems, budget worries and
internal politics, and you get an explosive mixture.
This wasn't an instant guess;
for a long time, I did not know who the murderer was and how everything
was connected. The only thing I found rather foreseeable was the
development of a new romantic interest for Ray, but that wasn't overdone
and not unrealistic.
The school and its
surroundings, Ray's house, the victim's cottage, the lake - everything
is described so well. That includes the people; one can almost hear
their voices and see them move.
Links between the community -
where most of the staff comes from - and the school itself with its
rather elite approach, as well as the complex relationships between
colleagues, friends and lovers are explored and form part of the puzzle.
There are a few typesetting
errors, but not enough to dampen my reading pleasure. Stander's writing
style is good, clear, not too long-winded but still poetic enough (where
appropriate) to set the inner cinema in motion.
I didn't know the author at all but have found his website here.
From the "about" section, I
learned that Aaron Stander has some things in common with several of his
characters. He used to be a teacher, lives in the area he describes so
well, and shares Ray Elkins' love for kayaking.
Not having read the first book in the series did not matter. But I am really interested in reading more.
When you wrote "I'm itching to write "Colour Tour", but the title is really spelled "Color", as it is by an American writer." it brought back memories for me of being a little bookworm kid that read a lot of British children's literature, and for fun completed essays and book reports with words spelled the alternative way. Grey and colour and humour, etc. etc. I'm surprised to say I don't recall any teacher ever mentioning it! :)
ReplyDeleteThank you for sharing this fun little memory, Jennifer! Your teachers probably thought you'd come round to the proper American spelling sooner or later anyway :-)
DeleteI am used to writing Color because I grew up in America, but my students here in Italy think that I misspelled it, as the English taught here is the British English.
ReplyDeleteHere in Germany, for the first 2 years at school (when I was 10/11 years old), we learned British English. Then came a few years of American English, so I know a little bit of both :-)
DeleteHa, at last you are reporting a free kindle book which I have already read! I enjoyed it,too and am familiar with the area he is describing and can attest that his descriptions are well done. I next read Death in a Summer Colony and then Medieval Murders which is a sort of prequel done later. I enjoyed them all though they are now more expensive. I'll look for his work in the library.
ReplyDeleteHello Kristi, it's nice to know you read this, too, and enjoyed it as well. On the author's website, I have read about "Medieval Murders" and was wondering whether I would like to read the prequel. Maybe I'll focus on the stories taking place after "Color Tour".
DeleteI know what you mean about the spelling itch. :) We primarily learn British spelling here too (or at least we did in my day)
ReplyDeleteI've never heard of this author before, and see no free titles now... And having lots of other books waiting already, I think I'll give it a miss.
I've not checked yet, but I know offers change from time to time, and the books I found for free are not all free anymore.
DeleteI know what you mean about having lots of other books waiting :-)
No, I know some books are only free for a very short period of time, sometimes even only one day. I've been lucky with some myself, but I've also downloaded more freebies and very cheap ones than I'm likely to ever get round to reading at all :)
DeleteYou know, I am still reading books on my kindle I've downloaded when I had it new - that was, I think, in 2013 :-)
DeleteMe, too! And I bought mine in 2012! :)
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