A really interesting, quick crime fiction with engaging characters – meet Mint by S. R. Wilsher.

The plot:

It’s the summer of 1976, and after nine years in prison, James Minter is home to bury his mother. A history of depression and a series of personal issues has seen her death ruled as suicide.

His refusal to accept that conclusion means he must confront his violent stepfather, deal with the gangster who wants his mother’s shop and, of course, face the family of the boy he killed.

But will his search for the truth in the claustrophobic atmosphere of a small seaside town, and the unpicking of the peculiar relationship his mother had with the Stonemason next door, put his own life in danger?

Great if you want a cozy-crime which reads worryingly realistic!

Although I believe this is marketed as a thriller, I’d put it much more within the crime fiction genre. If we’re calling it a thriller, I’d take my rating down a star.

I found this to be an intelligent read, especially as it is consistently making you look in different directions and providing a shocker at the end – the author is playing the reader into believing different things.

There are several smaller plot twists which makes Mint incredibly engaging – two in particular I found really shocking, and others which kept you on your toes. You wouldn’t expect Wilsher to do certain things, making it unpredictable.

There’s a lot of conversation, meaning it’s very fast-paced, and I didn’t realise how quickly I’d flown through this book. It’s definitely one where you’ve read 50 pages without thinking about it, and the short chapters aid this.

Although this conversational narrative leading to a quick read is a big plus, it didn’t help me map things out in my brain, and I struggled to picture some characters. This definitely got better near the end of the book, but the introduction, especially, was confusing.

The chapters are multi-narrative and also multi-timeline, which I’m generally just not a fan of. I found myself having to flick back and it just didn’t flow – too much jumping around for me, but I know many other readers enjoy this, so don’t let this put you off.

I really enjoyed the ending, and the exploration of relationships and trauma. It’s not a jaw-dropping book, but great if you want a cozy-crime which reads worryingly realistic!

4-stars.

Mint, S. R. Wilsher; Book Depository 

Pages: 292

Independently published

Genre: Crime Fiction