Product Description

Snow Falling on Cedars meets The Shipping News in this enthralling literary crime novel set in post World War II Long Island.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #1698 in Books
• Published on: 2005-01-03
• Original language: English
• Binding: Paperback
• 368 pages

Daily Express
'Exquisitively evocative crime novel...'

Daily Telegraph
'this debut thriller from screenwriter Mark Mills is paced to perfection...Labarde in particular is a joy, the ultimate gritty hero...'

The Times, January 1, 2005
'...a highly enjoyable murder investigation set against a backdrop of sumptuous local detail.'

Customer Reviews

Easy and enjoyable
As with The Savage Garden Mark Mills puts the location at the very heart of this book. It is evident that a very thorough research went into preparation on the historical location. The sea plays a major part and is the setting for many key events, linking nature and human emotions.

I enjoyed reading the book not only because of the easy writing style that Mark Mills developed but also because he manages to link the lives and secrets of very contrasting individuals that were brought together by a seemingly innocent death of the New York socialite.

The two main characters are Conrad Labarde, the reclusive fisherman, and Tom Hollis, a widowed Deputy Police Chief. The author cleverly explores the past and present of these characters that lead to a mutual understanding when it matters most.

It is not the most on the edge, bite-your-nails murder mystery I have read but it is a stimulating book which is easy and enjoyable to read and I am waiting with anticipation for Mark Mills' next novel.

Drips in Atmoshere
Good read. Moves along at a reasonable pace with lashings of atmoshere that perfectly reflects the Hamptons area of Long Island, New York circa 1947.

It's a good, but not riveting read and the pace of it reminded me of Winter In Madrid - slow to build up but quickens it's pace nicely toward the latter third of the book. Interesting, realistic and believable characters add flavour to the small fishing town the story is set in.

Most notable I thought for it's engrossing atmosheric detail.

Thriller with depth
A murder mystery set in Long Island in the late 1940's with plenty of excellent historical and background information about the area. This I think was the reason for me that the mystery was a little slow to get going and at one time I nearly gave up. Get beyond this slow start and it is well worth reading as everything that came before begins to make sense!
Lillian Wallace youngest daughter of a wealthy New York family who have a summer home in East Hampton is found dead in mysterious circumstances.
Her death is declared an accident but two local men have their own good reasons to believe otherwise. Conrad Labarde, local fisherman who discovered the body and Tom Hollis, deputy police chief, individually unravel the mysteries behind Lillian's death. Complex twists and turns lead to the conclusion, thanks to the collaboration of these two men.

I believe this is Mark Mills's first novel though he is already an established script writer. Murder mysteries are not my favourite genre but I will certainly add this author to the list of thriller writers that I do enjoy. In fact The Savage Garden is already on my bookshelf, waiting to be read.