Trick of the Dark by Val McDermidMy rating: 5 of 5 stars
I won this book in a Crime Vault giveaway back in 2013. I struggled to read the first 5 of 10 back then; now I'm reading the second 5 after relearning to read at Lindamood-Bell through their visualizing and verbalizing program.
One reviewer complained about the number of lesbians in this book. I think maybe what really got to them was how women dominated the plot like men usually do. Women being women, in all their diversity of personalities. Visualizing, drawing on my imagery as I verbalized, brought them to life in my mind. One of the main characters -- the dominant main character -- was really frustrating in her inability to see what was in front of her. Just when you think she's woken up, she falls right back into being a bit stupid. I suppose it's the old cliche of love is blind. But really?!
The switches in POV from one character to another to another and cycling through again would've challenged me before relearning reading comprehension, but I had no trouble. A milestone in getting back my reading after brain injury!
The action drove my reading forward without any artificial devices to get around plot holes. Well crafted and written, the mystery challenged me enough to keep me guessing yet I solved it...or thought I had. I have to say the final twist surprised me and made my early accurate yet not accurate guess satisfying.
I like the title. At first, it made no sense to me. But as I read on, it accrued many meanings and reflected back to me the plot, a character, and relationships. I appreciate a good title.
McDermid tied up the ending nicely and showed the characters' inner strengths.
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