Just finished reading Steven Dunne's book Diety that I bought following the Crime on Tour event I attended. Let me start by saying it is very different to Dark Winter (one of the other two books purchased at the same time) but I expected this as one was through the accepted route to publishing and one was not.
The book is longer, the protagonist is a policeman with the usual ex-wife, drinker, smoker, persona (not sure why most crime fiction novels have to have such flawed heroes) with depression and mental illness thrown in for good measure. But having said that, you do kind of warm to him. He genuinely puts everything on hold to track down the killer known as 'The Embalmer' even though his colleagues think someone bumping off drunken down and outs is not such a big deal. He is also on the case of four students who have disappeared without trace and it feels particularly relevant when his estranged daughter comes to visit (she has a similar background to the missing students and a kinship that can help in the case) and he feels that he doesn't want to let them down in the same way as he believes he let his daughter down. When a website starts to show details on the case and a countdown begins that could mean the students will die, his work and his daughters insights bring him closer to discovering the truth.
Without giving the ending away, I did anticipate two of the major twists, but one I have to admit I did not and I have to say that reading the book did feel like watching a crime series on television as it was so visual and intertwined. The only thing I would say is that I was slightly disappointed by the ending, but again, I cannot say why without spoiling it for any of my followers who wish to read it.
I recommend this book as it is very enlightening in judging what it is about Steven's style that made his novel stand out for publication on a 'slush site.'
If you wish to find out more about Steven, you can find him on twitter @ReaperSteven
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