The Shadows in the Street by Susan Hill

This novel was my first experience of reading on my new Kindle. For the most part I really enjoyed the experience of reading on the Kindle. The only thing I really missed was being able to tell how much of the book I had left. There is a tracker device at the bottom that tells the percentage of the book read but I like being able to see the pages. Other than that, reading on a Kindle is actually somewhat better than having a book in your hands. For instance when you click on the book to read you are taken to the exact same spot you ended the last time; no more fumbling around trying to remember which page you’re on. (that’s usually what happens to me because I tend to lose bookmarks).

Now onto reviewing the actual story. Susan Hill is one of the many authors whose new books I wait for eagerly. I’m enjoying her Simon Serrailler series of which this is the latest one. Even though Simon is the main character it is definitely an ensemble cast and each player is given a story line which mingles with the others to create a rich and full bodied tale.

This book is set in a small British town where Simon is a detective on the police force. Someone is murdering the town’s prostitutes and he is called back from holiday to help out with the investigation. The first characters we are introduced to are a couple of the “working women” who will be some of the main characters of the novel. We are a given a glimpse into their less than ideal lives but we are also given a glimpse into the efforts they are making to clean up their lives and become “normal”.

Juxtaposed on that scene is another setting which is the Anglican church of the town. There are shadows here as well. Light and dark are definite themes in this novel. But the lightness and darkness often show up in unexpected places

Loss and how people deal with loss is another main theme of the novel. Many of the characters are dealing wth the loss of loved ones, others are dealing with the loss of what they thought would be their normal lives.

As a main character in the series, Simon seems to play a smaller part in this book. He’s a bit moody and introspective and I’m interested to see how Susan Hill develops his character in subsequent stories as he seems a bit stalled now.

The ending is unexpected, I hadn’t figured out ‘who did it” by the end. But I thoroughly enjoyed following the clues and getting to know the characters better. I’m looking forward to her next book.