A Scottish-Canadian Blethering On About Books

I've liked all of the Cork O'Connor mysteries, and I liked this one - but I wasn't thrilled by the increased religiosity of the book (it's always been present, but it went a bit beyond my low tolerance level in this one, despite the fact that it was balanced out by the scathing depiction of religious fanatics). I probably would have handled that better if it hadn't been accompanied by the transformation of daughter Jenny from a reasonably sensible girl into a maternal-hormone-addled critter, and the cheerful killing off of her child-wary fiancee (not good enough, obviously, if he didn't desperately want kids). There were a few heartfelt sighs of "oh puhleeze" as I read this one. Nonetheless, the plot held my interest, and the minor characters, as usual, were interesting and well depicted. I wish "the Canadians" had been allowed a bigger role in the story rather than being just an occasional plot point that had to be dealt with because Lake of the Woods *is* international waters. No doubt they would have disapproved of O'Connor's complete inability to keep to his determination not to carry firearms. Well, I suppose that would get in the way of his ability, as a private citizen, to get muddled up in major crime investigations - and there would go the series!

Anyway, enjoyed it, and will recommend it (with reservations) - but if WKK gets any more preachy, or treats his women any more sentimentally, he will lose me, I'm afraid.