This was gripping throughout with a twisty plot. I enjoyed the moment Morrow and DI Simmons bonded over the realization they had both been sent on the same anger management course. Mina is very good at getting you to sympathize with murderers by inhabiting their perspective. There was even something of a wrapping up/explanation at the end of this one. I think this is the last of the Morrow series, which is a pity. ( )

Denise Mina has jumped back to the top of my favorites. No one does crime fiction better. Couldn't always say that with the Alex Morrow novels, but she's righted the ship. ( )

Blood Salt Water by Denise Mina is the fifth book in her Alex Morrow series. There hasn’t been a further entry in this series since this book was published in 2015 which leads me to believe that the author has moved on from this sequence. There was definitely a feeling of closure in this story. The actual plot was a combination of murder, fraud, drug dealing and blackmail.

There isn’t a lot of mystery involved in this story, we learn very quickly whodunnit so the plot becomes more about explaining the how and why of the various crimes and exactly who is connected to who. A wealthy businesswoman disappears from Glasgow and all traces of her lead to a small seaside town. Of course all is not as it seems on the surface as the businesswoman appears to have been under a loose police surveillance. She is suspected to be heavily involved in a large scale con, and the reasons for her disappearance are not immediately clear. Meanwhile a drowned woman has been pulled from the nearby loch and a local pub has been burned to the ground causing the death of two more individuals. How all these crimes mesh together in this intricately plotted literary thriller makes for a very good read.

I have long been a fan of Denise Mina. Her books are dark, intense and meant for a mature audience. This well constructed book is much more than a straight crime story as she doesn’t tie up all the ends neatly, instead she shows that law can be imperfect and that often money can make a difference in how justice is dealt out. Even if this series has come to an end, I look forward to continuing my exploration of this author’s work. ( )

I enjoyed this novel. it was set in Scotland and I have an affinity for that setting and it being an inspector novel too! ( )

I enjoyed this novel. it was set in Scotland and I have an affinity for that setting and it being an inspector novel too! ( )