Book talk – The Risk of Darkness by Susan Hill

I am finally making my way through the Simon Serrailler books a year after I read the first one, The Betrayal of Trust, but I didn’t know my heart would be ripped out multiple times while reading them. It was initially supposed to be a three book series beginning with The Various Haunts of Men, which has the worst ending in a book I have read in recent times, and I wanted to throw my copy across the room but I was too busy crying my eyes out! I’m glad I had the hard copy of The Risk of Darkness, the third one in the series, because it would have been hard for me to listen to on Audible (absolutely brilliantly read by Steven Pacey), especially after the second one, The Pure in Heart, which was a sad book to say the least, and listening to it was agonizing. Little did I know what lay in store for me with this one. I was in a funk for days after finishing this even though the cases were resolved (finally!). You live with the aftermath. Quite like life, isn’t it?

I am in awe of the themes the author deals with while juggling multiple plots, but it is for her engaging characters I keep returning to the Simon Serrailler books. For DCI Simon Serrailler himself, and his family – father, mother, sister, brother-in-law, nephew and niece, you continue reading to find out how they deal with what happens as they live through one tragedy after another. It is very satisfying to see how they have evolved through the series.

Susan Hill is a gifted writer, and one who doesn’t shy away from asking difficult questions. She asks us to examine the scenarios we are presented within the stories, the dilemmas they grapple with, the decisions which need to be taken, and the burdensome things one can do nothing about, except live with. You find yourself weighing in, and wondering what you would have done in a similar situation. Her books should not be read when you are looking for escape, dropped deep into the story of various characters you will find yourself examining your own life carefully, things you have pushed to the back of your mind, which come into focus of their own accord.

Where it all began.

In her books you are transported to Lafferton, where the Simon Serrailler books are set for the most part. It is a small cathedral town which has the worst luck in the world it seems. I’m reading murder mysteries and death is inevitable. I know there will be casualties and fall outs, and people caught in cross hairs, but I didn’t expect it to hurt so much. Susan Hill is ruthless, making you care for the characters and then doing away with them. You can never be sure who will be felled next! Maybe I shouldn’t have read them back to back but I had to find out what happened because the writing is so compelling. The way the books end with a cliffhanger, and how the stories continue with recurring characters, and past events referred to multiple times, the books should be read in order.

Winter is here, and I will soon return to Lafferton to see where Simon and the entire cast goes next. The book fair is now in sight (hurrah!) and I’m really looking forward to picking up a few Simon Serrailler books! For now I’ll enjoy the cool weather and bask in the sunshine when one can sit outside without being bundled up, while I still can 🙂