Real Murder

It's been over two years since I read the first novel in Lauren Carr's Lovers In Crime series, Dead On Ice, so I was pleasantly surprised by how quickly and how well I remembered the main characters, Cameron and Joshua, and of course their scene-stealing pets. I like the contrasts between Cameron and Joshua. Their differences complement each other while often reversing the traditional gender roles which I appreciate. Real Murder unravels a complicated string of murders dating back to the 1970s. This necessitates a large cast of characters so sometimes I wasn't exactly sure who everybody was, but I loved the intricacies of this plot, especially how the seemingly disparate elements eventually slotted together. I imagine Lauren had to do a Lot of planning!

I was interested in the background ideas Lauren introduces and weaves through her novel. The original murder's not having been properly investigated because its victim was 'only' a prostitute showed that this situation is gradually changing with time. The frequent callous dismissals of obviously traumatised people as 'crazy' was disturbing though, especially as these calls were often made by characters with whom I felt I was expected to empathise. I wasn't keen on the the enthusiastic response to a young man's 'first kill' either. This sensibility made me feel quite uncomfortable. However I loved the portrayal of elderly madam Dolly. I could happily lunch with such a witty and acerbic person myself, as long as I managed to remain on her good side anyway! Food, as in Dead On Ice, is an important part of Real Murder so potential readers should probably make sure to have snacks to hand while reading! And the idea of a delicious ice cream sundae in lieu of a wedding cake is genius - why isn't this a regular Thing?!