The Pvritan

by Birgitte Margen

[Charli G.]

The Pvritan Plot

I thought The Pvritan’s plot was both unique and standard. Standard in the sense that it was a typical murder mystery with police detectives featuring as the main characters. Unique in that it used gruesome imagery for the murders, as well as a mix of both likely and unlikely murder victims. Usually the victims are either all likely victims or all unlikely victims. That there was a mix of these types was refreshing.

I was also impressed with the way Birgitte Märgen interspersed bits and pieces about the murderer through the story. She tries to give the reader a feel for the murderer and who he/she is without giving away who he/she is. It’s very interesting to get glimpses in to the mind of our killer.

Another thing I was impressed with plot-wise were the twists. Just when you think you might have something figured out, a curveball gets thrown at you. You’re suddenly not understanding what on earth is going on.

The Pvritan Characters

Detective Marti Zucco

I really like Marti. She’s dedicated to her job – perhaps a bit too dedicated. She has an aversion to birds that I would dearly love to know the full story behind and it is highly apparent in the story. She isn’t great with people, and it’s pretty obvious. Of course, she also has a tragic backstory to go along with her character. She works great with our next character in The Pvritan, her partner Neil Cavanaugh.

Detective Neil Cavanaugh

Neil is one of those characters you can’t help but love. He’s the complete opposite of Marti and it shows. He’s boisterous and great with people. But to be honest, he has his hands full with both his family and his partner. He’s a great character and the author was spot on to pair him with Marti.

My Analysis

I really enjoyed this book. I loved the characters, the plot twists, and the vibe it gave off in general. However, I did think that the ending was a bit abrupt. There was no epilogue or anything to give us an idea of what might have happened after the big show down. This was a bit disappointing.

One thing I have to say is that I really enjoyed the use of the Geneva Bible in the book. It was a refreshing thing as most books won’t incorporate anything like that. I love the original spellings of the words being used as well. While others might find it difficult to read, I had no issues.

I am also sincerely hoping that there will be more books with this pair of detectives. Marti and Neil work so well together and I’d love to see more books featuring them. Perhaps a second book that gives a clearer picture of what happened after the end of The Pvritan.

I gave this book four stars because it was a great book, however I felt there were a couple of things that could have been done better. If you’re a fan of murder mysteries with great twists and don’t mind a bit of gore, this book is for you.