This month’s book, Waterproof – A Murder Mystery on the Norfolk Broads. The author is new to me and I’m sure will be new to many readers of this column. He is Chris Crowther, a Yorkshireman who grew up on the Suffolk coast and learned to fly in the ATC. During a 42 year career he flew many thousands of hours particularly off the coast of West Africa. He is now semi-retired and lives in the Norfolk Broads where, to quote from his website (chriscrowther.co.uk) ‘ he divides his time between writing, sailing and skippering passenger boats on the river where he lives with his wife, Sue.’
Waterproof is his second full length novel the first being Bladestrike which used his experiences as a helicopter pilot to thrilling effect. Waterproof involves ex-Scotland Yard Detective Jack Fellows who patrols the Norfolk Broads as a Navigation Ranger. It is his perfect job until (again quoting from the author’s website) ‘the cold hand of violent death touches even this idyllic corner of East Anglia. Murder on the Broads is rarer than the bittern but the police soon have their man. Or have they? Jack is sure they’ve got it wrong and sets out to prove it. Amongst the tranquillity of this unique setting he discovers a simmering cauldron of bitterness and deceit with suspects aplenty. Relationships, livelihoods and reputations are in jeopardy but whose will be sacrificed as he pursues the truth.’
Smacks a bit of Enid Blyton/Agatha Christie. Poor legal research - reference is made to the eel man's court appearance at 'Norwich Assizes' - Assizes were abolished and replaced by Crown Courts in about the 1960s I think.
Nevertheless an enjoyable read
Boater
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