The End of the Wasp Season

Starred review from July 25, 2011
In Mina's stellar follow-up to Still Midnight, Det. Sgt. Alex Morrow, who's five months pregnant with twins, looks into the murder of Sarah Erroll, who was kicked to death in her childhood home in an affluent Glasgow suburb. The discovery of more than 600,000 euros in the house suggests robbery wasn't a motive. Detective Chief Inspector Bannerman, a much reviled colleague of Alex's, fixates on Kay Murray, who's not only a former caregiver for Sarah's recently deceased motherâand whose teenage sons are thought to fit the two killers' basic profileâbut also Alex's long ago friend. Despite their history, Kay soon sees Alexâand all policeâas the enemy out to railroad her sons. Delving deeper into Sarah's life, Alex connects her to Lars Anderson, a London banker in dire financial straits who recently committed suicide. The gulf between social classes and the disintegration of families both inform this memorable police procedural. 5-city author tour.

February 27, 2012
In Mina’s latest thriller (and follow-up to Still Midnight) set around and in contemporary Glasgow, detective Alex Morrow—pregnant with twins—must investigate the brutal murder of a young woman named Sarah Errol. What Morrow finds is a web of deceit that will rock the community and eventually connect to an earlier suicide. Jane MacFarlane—who has recorded previous Mina novels—narrates in a lilting, mesmerizing voice and with a lovely Scottish brogue. Her reading is well paced, clear, and utterly compelling. Easily managing the books thrills and chills, MacFarlane also creates distinctive but restrained voices and regional accents for the book’s many characters—never resorting to caricature or cliché. Highly enjoyable and a must for Mina fans. A Little, Brown/Reagan Arthur hardcover.

There's nothing like a Scots accent to give a sense of place, and Jane MacFarlane pulls listeners immediately into Glasgow's murder squad. Detective Alex Morrow catches the particularly grisly and puzzling murder of a young woman who is not what she seems, and the case leads to the unfolding of numerous secrets and surprises. MacFarlane plays the dark suspense with just the right amount of psychological tension. She allows the characters from different classes to unfold. Listeners also glimpse the author's skill at eliciting sympathy for villains. The dialogue is smart, sharp, and clear despite the strong accents, and MacFarlane's pace suits perfectly. Listeners are left pondering the complexity of justice and the tragedy of damaged families. R.F.W (c) AudioFile 2011, Portland, Maine