annieb123
Written on Oct 5, 2019
Yellowhead Blues is the 5th book in the Hunter Rayne Highway mystery series by R.E. Donald. Released 21st July 2019, it's 315 pages and available in paperback and ebook formats.
This is a well written murder mystery featuring a former RCMP officer who believes in this case that the Mounties -didn't- get their man, or at least not the real guilty party. This series has a unique hook; a retired homicide inspector who is a long-distance trucker, working alongside law enforcement to solve a murder and bring the real murderer to justice.
The characterizations are well done and the characters' motivations and actions are believable. The dialogue is well paced and flows smoothly. The plot arc is well written and the denouement sensitively presented.
The language is somewhat rough (but used in context). There is some racism, sexism, possible sexual abuse, and violence (again, in context). The setting might as well have a starring role and it's clear that the author is intimately familiar with the area. I love the Pacific NW, and especially books with wilderness themes, and First Nations characters, sensitively handled are appealing. I liked seeing the subtext and subtle sexism/racism in the dialogue between the Francophone and English speaking RCMP officers. Constable Bianca Morrison is Hunter's assistant in this installment and I hope to see her making an appearance in future books in the series.
Really enjoyable. I wasn't familiar with the author or the series before this (it works quite well as a standalone). I'll be searching out the previous books in the series as soon as possible.
Four stars.
Disclosure: I received an ARC at no cost from the author/publisher for review purposes.