Pippa was introduced to crime fiction by a Francis Durbridge-loving grandmother and a Christie-loving primary schoolteacher. Pippa has looked after the admin for a crime fiction book group for the last 20 years or so and is the author of Cambridge – Myriads of Misdeeds.
A new Wisting story is always a joy and The Lake does not disappoint.
During an intensely hot summer the vast Lake Farris is drained for much needed repairs to the dam gates. With the drastic reduction in water level, the drying out lake reveals its secrets, along with a great deal of detritus which encourages both a detectorist and an environmental group to take an interest.
As the lake gives up these secrets, there are some which it must been hoped would never be discovered. These include an empty safe, and partially clothed human remains taped to a motorcycle, a motorcycle that Wisting had registered as missing eight years earlier. Questions now need to be answered as to how he ended up there and did the tape point to murder or suicide.
Evert Harting (the detectorist) discovers a fairly distinctive necklace. This triggers something in his memory - a newspaper photograph about a missing girl. He should he report his find but feels a slight reluctance to do so; his wife Ella decides for him. Could it possibly belong to a Swedish girl who disappeared four years ago? The Swedish police have kept the case open, so the original investigator, Ingrid Sandell arrives from Gothenburg to join Wisting. She is as dedicated as he is and she adds an extra spark both to the investigation and to Wisting's life.
The investigation into the two cases is both engaging and careful and carries the reader through the various stages. Strong feelings, memories and suspicions are stirred up in the community, with some drastic consequences.
Throughout the investigation, complete with its moments of suspense and twists, the solid and capable Wisting is a reassuring presence set against the blackness of the crimes.
The novel has a great sense of place and atmosphere. The intense heat, the dusty roads, drying lake bed, the stale taste of a warm bottle of water - all feel real and contrast with the darkness of the cold case being investigated.
The introduction of Swedish Investigator Ingrid Sandell added something extra to the novel and it will be interesting to see if she features in the future.
Translated into English by Anne Bruce
