The Crooked Shore: The riveting cold case mystery

I haven't yet read any of the previous titles in Martin Edwards' Lake District Mystery series, but thoroughly enjoyed reading The Crooked Shore. I'm looking forward to catching up with the rest of the series in the near future, but can assure potential readers that this title works perfectly well as a standalone. A suicide by drowning draws D.C.I. Hannah Scarlett into a cold case investigation related to the disappearance of local woman Ramona Smith twenty-one years previously. The case was originally investigated by D.I. Ben Kind, Hannah's mentor and predecessor, who also happens to be her partner Daniel's late father. Kind had identified Ramona's former employer, gift shop owner Gerald Lace, as the prime suspect in her presumed murder. While Lace was acquitted at his subsequent trial, he and his family were never able to escape the stigma of his association with Ramona's disappearance. Lace later committed suicide by walking into the treacherous waters of the crooked shore, a tragedy now echoed by the suicide of Lace's son, Darren, in the same place and manner. But could Gerald Lace have been unfairly accused, and if so what happened to the ill-fated Ramona? Meanwhile, the man who witnessed Darren's suicide, Kingsley Melton, is preoccupied by the sudden reappearance of Logan Prentice, a charming young man whom he suspects of fraud and murder. Melton manages plush but remote apartment development, Strandbeck Manor, and is cultivating a romantic attachment with wealthy and alluring resident Tory Reece-Taylor. He believes Prentice is targeting Tory and that her life is in danger - how can he convince local authorities of Prentice's malfeasance before it's too late? Martin Edwards deftly weaves the two narrative threads into a complex and intriguing mystery. Meanwhile, there is added interest in the shape of D.C.I. Scarlett's personal life. She and Daniel appear happy in their relationship, but there are inevitable stressors associated with the demands of her job and the frequent travel he undertakes as a published author. A potential rival emerges in the shape of Alex Samaras, a beautiful and charming woman who rescued Daniel's sister Louise when she fell in a river while walking a neighbour's dog. Alex is a gushing fan of Daniel's writing and Louise can't help but wonder if romance might blossom between them. I appreciated Edwards' more traditional style of mystery writing, but must emphasise that this is in no way a sedate or "cosy" mystery. The plot is complex and the dramatic denouement is both satisfying and unexpected. The characters are all well-developed and their motivations believable. Edwards uses the stunning setting of the Lake District to atmospheric effect, and while the eponymous "crooked shore" itself is imaginary, there are plenty of real life references to keep armchair travellers like myself satisfied! I have no hesitation in highly recommending The Crooked Shore to all readers who enjoy well-crafted mysteries and complex plots. I'm looking forward to bringing myself up to speed with the remainder of the Lake District Mystery series. My thanks to the author, Martin Edwards, publisher Allison & Busby and NetGalley for the opportunity to read and review this title.