Heather’s Bookshelf: Too Close for Comfort
Author: Mike Martin
Released: 10/01/24
Genre: Adult Mystery/Police Procedural
“With that, the voices faded, and Windflower could feel himself slipping off the cloud and slowly falling until he could see the ground far below him. As he descended, he could see Grand Bank come again into view, and before he knew it, he was back in bed with Sheila. He lay on his back, completely still, and thought about what had just happened.”
“Too Close for Comfort” is book 15 in the Sgt. Windflower Mystery Series. I have previously reviewed Better Safe than Sorry here. This story follows Winston Windflower, acting inspector for the Royal Canadian Mounted Police in Newfoundland. This book review was performed as a stand alone.
When suspicious fires erupt around town and a body is discovered in one of them, a suspected arson investigation quickly turns into a crime of murder. The body links to an organized crime ring and a gold robbery, but how is this all connected?
Windflower leads the investigation with the help of his friend and colleague, Eddie Tizzard, and Constable Gupta. Meanwhile, the family cat, Molly, goes missing and Windflower’s dreams are trying to convince him of something- but what? Windflower knows everything’s connected, but how and why? And is he strong enough to see the truth and do something about it?
Trigger Warning: violence, arson, murder
Overall, I enjoyed this book. Though I have read one other story in this series, the author did a nice job in re-introducing the characters in a way that it doesn’t feel redundant but is clear if this is your first look into Windflower’s life. Investment in the characters occurs quickly and is facilitated by personal anecdotes and interactions with family and friends. The story is told mostly through two POV of Windflower. His spirituality, dream interpretation and connection to the deceased were especially poignant. Many of the characters in this story are endearing and well-developed. I especially enjoyed interactions with his wife Sheila and his friend Sanjay. Little details like walks with the family dog, Lady, shared interest in Scotch and classical music, and introduction to delicacies develop both Windflower and many of the other ancillary characters. The mystery itself was less of a who-dun-it and more like a police procedural- following the evidence along with the authorities and seeing the suspects through their investigation. This isn’t a mystery you can solve along the way, but you feel how it all affects Windflower and the surrounding characters. It’s really more about the relationships within the pages.it. The ending was well-done- it felt resolved while also clearly leaving the storyline open for future books. I’d love to see where Windflower, his friends, and family are headed next.
I received a copy of this story in exchange of a fair and honest review.
OVERALL REVIEW:
A police-procedural with a strong protagonist, endearing details, and an ancillary cast that provide intrigue and connection.
Want to learn more about the author?
Check out my interview with Mike Martin about another of his books:
Better Safe Than Sorry
Interested in checking out the book for yourself?
Find it for purchase here
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