Ed Mostyn lives
on the large island of Anglesley
(Ynys Mon in Welsh), off the northwest coast of Wales. The distance to Wales is
short enough for a bridge, and most mornings will find Ed near the bridge
digging for worms in the beach sand to sell to fishermen. Early one morning, as
he’s digging, he hears a sound and looks around.
Within a few
hours, Ed’s body is found, a garden pitchfork jammed in his neck.
Detective
Inspector (DI) Ian Drake of the Wales Police Service is called to investigate.
He has his usual team, including Detective Sergeant Caren Waits. No murder is
ever simple, and Ed Mostyn’s quickly turns out to be more complex than most, especially
when the body of a young woman is found a few days later, not far from where
Mostyn’s body was found.
Against
the Tide
is the third Ian Drake police procedural novel by Welsh writer Stephen Puleston (he also has
three novels in the Inspector Marco series). It’s just as good as its
predecessors Brass in Pocket and Worse Than Dead, and they were both good
mysteries.
As
in the previous novels, we see that DI Drake has a few idiosyncrasies. He has a
borderline mania for cleanliness, and can often be found in the washroom,
cleaning his hands. He has to begin each day with at least 10 minutes working the
Sudoku puzzle in the newspaper. His desk has a precise arrangement of post-it
notes, computer, and framed photographs, and he knows immediately if something
has been moved, even ever so slightly. And he checks for dust.
 |
| Stephen Puleston |
His
“rituals,” as he and his counselor call them, have gotten worse since the death
of his father. And the backdrop to this story is the deteriorating relationship
with his wife, a physician.
The
investigation becomes akin to peeling back an onion, with one layer removed
only to have to deal with the next. Drake and Waits find themselves expanding
the investigation back into the past, where the solution will ultimately be
found.
Against the Tide is a satisfying,
intriguing novel, and I’m looking forward to starting the Inspector Marco
series.
Related:
Top photograph: Map of the Isle of Anglesley.
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