Blood on the Broadcast, by SDW Hamilton

I like it when a story comes with a gripping setting, and this is not limited to fantasy or sci-fi (although, to be fair, world building IS a really big theme while talking about those genres). But a good mystery can benefit from a great setting, too – it brings everything to life, and it kind of can set the tone of the story (or counterbalance it where necessary). Take this Oxford mystery, for an example.

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I’m mentioning this little trivia because Shannon Hamilton has seen it fit to use a setting for his crime mystery that – while not wholly original – is one of the lesser trodden roads: He takes us to Belfast.

If you’re old enough to remember why U2 wrote a song called “Sunday, Bloody Sunday”, then you might have a certain picture regarding Belfast in your mind. (Alright, the bloody Sunday was in Londonderry, but the IRA retaliated with their own bloody Friday in Belfast 6 months later.) And while all this is in the past, this history of violence leaks through the pages of this novel, shading everything with a certain flair. Nicely done!

This was Northern Ireland; people had been killing other people over religion and politics longer than the place had existed.

This story is, in fact, not about politics and terrorists, but about cultists – and a locked room mystery, in the truest and simplest sense of the word. And about Jacob Kincaid, police detective washout turned private eye who is hired to solve said locked room mystery. He brings a certain dry humour to the story, lightening up the mood:

Although he was being paid handsomely for the effort, it was becoming apparent that this case was nothing more than a dog chasing its tail, and he was the one barking.

All being said, I like the cast of this novel, and I liked how Belfast became almost another character in this story. The locked room mystery does have an explanation (luckily), although I feel it was a little stretched. And there is a certain Deus Ex Machina moment at the ending that I feel could have needed a different approach.

But still: delightful mystery in a well written setting. 4 gumshoes out of 5, can’t wait to see if there will be a follow-up – I sincerely hope so!

Disclaimer: I’ve received a free Advanced Reader’s Copy and am leaving this review voluntarily.