WALKING ON WATER by Gemma O'Connor

FROM THE PUBLISHER:

The Irish coastal village of Passage South has spectacular views and easy access to fishing, sailing, and other marine delights, but it isn't easy for an outsider to gain acceptance with the locals. After surviving the coronary that ended his marriage and his fast-track career as a detective inspector in Dublin, Francis Xavier Recaldo was looking for a fresh start and a quiet life -- and he accepted a demotion to police sergeant in a quite village to get them. But recently his life in Passage South has developed unexpected complications: One foggy morning, a wealthy American who lives in the village is found dead by the water's edge, murdered in the garden of her home. Gathering evidence is difficult, and the investigation is soon complicated by scandals old and new, contradictory statements, unexpected revelations and big-city cops assigned to handle a case that's considered too big for the locals. Recaldo is determined to solve the case, though he's haunted by the belief that the married woman he's come to love may know more about the murder than is good for either of them. Cold-blooded murder, complex connections, and chilling images keep the suspense building to the very end in this riveting thriller.

RATING:

I'm always apprehensive when blurbs for a book suggest the author is of the caliber of a Minette Walters or Ruth Rendell and in this case, the comparison pales considerably. Slow, tedious with stilted dialogue, I found it anything but "riveting" and difficult to complete.