The Shrouded Path by Sarah WardMy rating: 4 of 5 stars
What I immediately loved about this story was the familiarity that I had with the setting. Having grown up in the area of North Derbyshire and South Yorkshire, I felt very at home. Even though the author, who also comes from the area, has skilfully interwoven reality with fiction, I found it easy to imagine the land that I know.
I am often disturbed and distracted by stories that switch between times. They can be difficult to follow. This one begins with the mystery of a girl who disappears in 1957 and moves to the present and back again. However, it works. Part of the enjoyment of reading this book is trying to work out the connections between the people in the past and in the present.
The characters, and their relationships and misplaced loyalties are really well developed. There is plenty of tension and mystery. The main character is DC Connie Childs, who is a thorough investigator. In this book, she is joined by DC Peter Dahl, who I really like. I hope that he sticks around in future episodes. There was a minor slip in the middle of the book when he was temporarily promoted to DS but he soon reverted to his correct rank.
The story is very well written. It draws the reader in and keeps their attention to the very end. It is an old-fashioned mystery with a few twists and turns. I recommend this book to lovers of crime fiction and I look forward to reading more by Sarah Ward.
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