Unreasonable Doubt (Constable Molly Smith Novels, 8) - Softcover

Delany, Vicki

Softcover

ISBN 10: 1464205159 ISBN 13: 9781464205156

Publisher: Poisoned Pen Press, 2016

Synopsis

"Another brisk whodunit in a beautiful western Canadian setting with an appealing protagonist in Molly, whose personal life gets as much attention as her professional one." -Booklist on the previous Constable Molly Smith mystery, Under Cold Stone.

What would it be like to return to your hometown after twenty-five years in prison for a crime you have maintained you did not commit? And why would you?

Walter Desmond is back in Trafalgar, British Columbia, having been officially exonerated when new evidence showed corruption at worst, incompetence at best, by the Trafalgar City Police conducting the investigation. His pitbull attorney is seeking five million in damages from the provincial government. But Walt has not returned to Trafalgar to pursue money or revenge. He just wants to know the why of it.

The family of the murdered girl, Sophia D'Angelo, is bitterly determined to see Walt returned to prison - or dead. But for Trafalgar's police, including Sergeant John Winters and Constable Molly Smith, the reality is: if Walter didn't kill Sophia, someone else did.

So, case reopened. It lands on Winters' desk. The records are moldering. One investigating officer is dead, the other is retired - and not talking. The police are instructed to treat Walt as if he'd never been arrested or convicted. Someone else apparently killed Sophia, someone still walking free.

But too many minds remain closed. It's good luck for Walt that a group of women in town for the dragon boat race are staying in the B&B where he's booked, women with no local prejudices. But then a townswoman, then a boat woman, are attacked by a rapist, the media gets active, and tempers dangerously flare.

About this title

About the Author:

Having taken early retirement from her job as a systems analyst in the high-pressure financial world, Vicki Delany is settling down to the rural life in bucolic Prince Edward County, Ontario, where she rarely wears a watch. A Cold White Sun is the sixth mystery in her Constable Molly Smith series. www.vickidelany.com

Review:

The author has written an interesting take on the subject, especially with regard to the advisability of whether Desmond should, so to speak, return to the scene of the crime to find out why he was picked to be the murderer, or just remain in Vancouver and not face a hostile population. An excellent series, well-written and always thought-provoking, and recommended.

(Theodore Feit Midwest Book Review)

From its outset in 2007 the Constable Molly Smith series has been a strong contender, with its engaging cast of characters, atmospheric settings, and well-structured plots. But in UNREASONABLE DOUBT Delany has ramped her work up a notch: the writing is more self-assured, the treatment of the characters is more nuanced, and the narrative nicely builds toward the climax. Delany's latest work can hold its own against anything in the genre being published today. Witness the evocative opening passage of UNREASONABLE DOUBT:.. Walter Desmond felt something move, something low in his belly that he might once have recognized as happiness. It had been many years since he'd known what happiness felt like. He gazed out the window of the bus, full of wonder. The mountains were so high, the slopes closing in on the highway, their ragged tops still white with snow even though it was July. In the valleys, lakes and rivers sparkled blue in the sunlight... A shade of blue he'd forgotten could exist... Adding to its literary merits Delany's exploration of a significant and complex social theme, and UNREASONABLE DOUBT is clearly her strongest work to date, well worth the wait.

(Reviewing the Evidence)

Another great addition to the Constable Molly Smith series. I would like to see a Dragon Boat race. What fun! Nice side story counterbalancing the terrible injustice done to an innocent man. This tale got off to a slow start for me, but since I was familiar with the series I knew I would enjoy it eventually. It did not take that long before I was fully engaged. NetGalley provided an ebook in exchange for my honest review. Loved the ending(s).

(NetGalley)

The past has a way of popping up when you least expect it, sometimes with dire results. The ending is satisfying, there's a bit of romance, and hope that a wrong can be righted with a little help.

(Kings River Life Magazine)

...Delaney does a good job providing an unsavory view of old-boy small-town cop cliques, reminding us that some people don't get what they deserve.

(Publishers Weekly)

He always claimed he was innocent of the crime he was jailed for. Now, after 25 years, his case has been turned over and he's set free. Despite advice from his attorney, he goes home. More realistically, he goes to the village he used to live in. No one is very welcoming and most people still think he's guilty. Even the cops aren't sure... The plot was interesting and a bit twisted in nature. I like Molly and her police techniques and this book made John Winter shine. He's another excellent cop. It's not a perfect ending but it is a realistic one. Even Walter has some hope at the end.

(NetGalley)

Unreasonable Doubt is a nice mix of police procedural and the personal lives of Molly and her family and that of John Winters. I have really grown to like the characters over the course of the series, especially Lucky, Molly's mom. Lucky came to Canada with Molly's father during the Vietnam War and never went back. They built a successful life in Canada and Lucky's politics never changed. She is involved in every protest, knows everyone in town, and is a shrewd judge of character. I think Delany did a particularly good job in showing just what it is like to lose 25 years of your life for a crime you did not commit. Sadly, Canada does not seem to do much better than the US in these cases, of which there are too many. A nice cash payout is good, but hardly compensation for a ruined life.

(Not a Book Snob)

The murder mystery solution was not quite what I expected and I was pleasantly surprised by that.

(Vicki Leavitt NetGalley)

The plot is laid out so that it flows smoothly and quickly. I found "Unreasonable Doubt" to be a very enjoyable read and look forward to checking out future books in the Molly Smith series.

(DelAnne Frazee NetGalley)

Told cleverly and in a methodical manner the story unfolded in stages and you knew you were getting somewhere.

(Mystica)

About this edition

• Publisher: Poisoned Pen Press
• Publication date: 2016
• ISBN 10: 1464205159
• ISBN 13: 9781464205156
• Binding: Paperback
• Number of pages: 272