Title: Engadine Aerie by Bluette Matthey –
The Hardy Durkin Mystery Series #5
Published by Blue Shutter Publishing on April 26th 2017
Genres: Fiction, Mystery, Murder, Crime
Pages: 272
Review by Deja Lizer
Engadine Aerie by Bluette Matthey is the fifth book in the Hardy Durkin travel mystery series. The book is a standalone, and reading previous ones in the series isn’t necessary. It’s also not full of gore or macabre details, more clean and reachable for many audiences. The setting takes place in the beautiful Engadine valley of Switzerland, where the annual ski marathon gathers crowds from all over the world. The location chosen for this story is fantastic and the descriptions paint a memorable setting! The Engadine valley is normally quiet and calm, a winter playground for the rich and famous, but soon enough murders and terrorist plots ratchet up the drama. There are creative descriptions of the locations and scenes throughout the story and I found it easy to transport myself there. Hardy Durkin, the protagonist, is a likeable, amiable character who once again finds himself discovering a dead body and being thrust into ensuing complications. The supporting characters are diverse and well-drawn, and you really get to feel like you are among them with so much attention to detail.
The action and pace of the story are well balanced, making it a smooth read. What is also very cool is the research that unfolds, unexpectedly. It did feel a bit out of nowhere, but I am a history lover and so really enjoyed absorbing that knowledge and seeing how it was shaping the characters in the present. I did find some of the character development for secondary or tertiary characters more in depth than normal, sometimes they felt like tangents, but you really get to know their proclivities and distastes!
If you enjoy fast paced crime drama that is clean and chocked full of in-depth sensory details and characters, you should give this a try! I’m looking forward to being whisked away to another lesser-known locale in future adventures! A big thanks to the author for an ARC of this book which I have chosen to review.
About Bluette Matthey
Bluette Matthey is a third-generation Swiss American, an avid lover of Europe and its cultures, and a keen reader of mysteries. Her love of travel is shared by her husband, who formerly owned a tour outfitter business in Europe. Bluette maintains a mental list of hikes and pilgrimages she still wants to do throughout Europe. She currently lives in Le Locle, Switzerland with her husband and band of loving cats.
Contact
Check out Bluette’s website for the earlier Hardy Durkin novels, giveaways and much more!
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