Under the Harrow by Flynn Berry
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Under the Harrow surprised me. I think my expectations were not real high for an authors first mystery. So many mysteries these days are written in a very formulaic manner, but Flynn Berry wrote a much more taught and elaborate mystery.

We meet Nora, the narrator, as, unfortunately, she is discovering the body of her sister, Rachel, who has been stabbed many times. To add to the gruesome scene, Rachel's German Shepherd dog is hanging by his leash from a banister. We are in as much shock as Nora, however, we soon learn this is not the first violence faced by the sisters. Nora relates how Rachel was severely beaten several years prior and her immediate thought is the two situations are related. Did the perpetrator find Rachel and finish the job? Did Rachel find him and he retaliated?

As Nora continues to search for Rachel's murderer, she relates how the two of them have searched for years to locate the man who beat Rachel. We start to understand how abnormal the lives of the two sisters have become due to their past. The story becomes larger than the murder mystery. It is about the anger that has consumed them, the issues experienced with an alcoholic father, the grief and guilt experienced by Nora. Both sisters were passionately obsessed with men who abused women. They sought them out in the papers and in the courtroom trying to locate Rachel's attacker. Nora attempts at one point to get on with her life, and thinks Rachel has, too. But, now with Rachel's death, Nora is finding she has continued her search by herself, keeping many secrets from her sister.

I really found the author's writing compelling. Her descriptions are so complete you can feel yourself beside Nora as she relives the attack on Rachel, searches for her murderer and discovers so many bits and pieces that don't seem to fit. You feel Nora's oddness and find her to be a compelling, but not necessarily likable character. The reader walks with Nora through the village where Rachel lived, and with her interactions with the police, particularly inspector Lewis, and with the man she most suspects. Because the story is told by Nora, the reader starts to question her perspective. The story twists and turns until the final twist, which is surprising, and yet not. To me that is always the sign of a good mystery writer - you gave me the clues, but you still surprised me anyway.

I look forward to more stories by Flynn Berry. I think this is an author to watch.

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