This is the first book I’ve had the pleasure of reading by Caro Ramsay and, although it’s the tenth book in Ramsay’s Anderson and Costello series, a series of which I’ve not read previously, I thoroughly enjoyed it and really had no issues in picking up with the team and marching onwards into what turned out to be an intense, nail-biting crime thriller with dark and dirty criminal at its centre.
In ‘The Sideman’ by Caro Ramsay, readers are thrown straight into the action, and we’re on the hunt for the killer who murdered Abigail, and her son, in one fell swoop. The crime is gut-wrenching, the murders even more so, and it’s clear that the sharp and feisty Costello has a suspect in mind.
Although this is my first time meeting DI Costello, her character absolutely leapt right off the page, as did the other characters. Ramsay writers sharply and with tact, and I felt that by the time the novel had reached its end, I knew each and every one of them personally. Their individual personalities stood out and it didn’t take long for me to grow familiar with each of them in turn. Having said that, I can sense that a lot has happened in the previous books in this series for relationships and friendships to be as strong as they are now, although Ramsay ensures that there are enough little snippets of memories and flashbacks to fill in most of the blanks for me, which I was grateful for. DCI Anderson and DI Costello swiftly became firm favourites of mine, and I truly enjoyed getting to know both of them in turn. I’ve already made a promise with myself to go back and read this series from the beginning because I really enjoyed this one and I think getting to know the characters from the very start would be a good idea. I’m also intrigued to find out more about events in the past that have led up to this point in ‘The Sideman’.
Ramsay switches between her many characters throughout the progression of this novel, and so we’re gifted with an insight into many of the events that take place, and through the eyes of many different characters. I have to admit, I did get a little confused in some chapters, but I think that’s because there seemed to be so many different events taking place within the novel, and different crimes being committed. Of course, my little brain was working overtime trying to crack cases before they’d even been looked at properly by the police detectives. Having said that, Ramsay certainly kept me on my toes and constantly suspicious of everything and everyone, even those claiming innocence. It was riveting, watching how these separate threads slowly began to intertwine and come together. It was clever and gritty and jam-packed with police procedurals which I always enjoy reading about. It also felt fresh to me because I think this is the first crime thriller I’ve read set in Scotland. The setting of this book lends such a striking sense of atmosphere to the story, with the Scottish hills and mountains ever-present in the background, and so it was bold and terrifying in its telling.
I really enjoyed The Sideman by Caro Ramsay. As I said it’s the first in this series that I’ve read, but that didn’t take away from my understanding, or my thorough enjoyment, of this book in the slightest. It was a tenacious, slick and lively crime-thriller, which has introduced me to a cast of characters I’d happily read more of in the future. I loved the authors ability to have so many things going on at the same time, yet still manage to maintain utter control of the pacing of the novel, ensuring none of her characters went astray. The Book Babe is awarding The Sideman by Caro Ramsay with a four out of five rating.
With thanks to the publisher for an advanced reading copy of this book, and for allowing me to take part in the blog tour.
Inside a beautiful Victorian family home in Glasgow’s West End, a mother and her young son are found brutally murdered. DI Costello is furious and knows exactly who did it, George Haggerty, the husband and father. The only problem is that Haggerty has a cast-iron alibi – the police themselves caught him speeding on the A9 at the time of the murders. But Costello can’t let it go. Determined to expose Haggerty as a ruthless killer, she’s gone solo.
DCI Colin Anderson has no time to ponder his partner of twenty years going rogue, as his own cases are piling up. But Costello’s absence becomes increasingly worrying. Has she completely disappeared following the tracks of a dangerous man?
You can purchase your copy of The Sideman by Caro Ramsay here.
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