Cathy C. (cathyskye) - , reviewed on 8/4/2009 + 2266 more book reviews

First Line: Inspector Max Fiti had great significance in a place that had little.

In a grove of trees outside a small village in Ghana the body of a young woman has been found. Eager to close the case, the local police have charged a hapless teenager with her murder. A person of influence contacts the police in Accra, and thus Inspector Darko Dawson is sent to Ketanu to investigate. Dawson is not all that willing to go. He does not want to leave his beloved wife and son, and he definitely does not want to return to the village where his mother disappeared when he was a small boy.

Dawson is an interesting and flawed character. His Achilles' heel is said to be his love of marijuana, but I think both heels are afflicted. He has a tendency to let his anger take control, and as a result he does things that he knows are wrong-- and some of those things could have an adverse effect on the cases he investigates. His smoking habits and his anger both show him to be a person who is willing to overlook laws that he doesn't like-- not the best of traits for a police officer. His heart is in the right place, so this trait is just enough to give him an edge...just enough for me to keep a suspicious eye on him.

I enjoyed this book a great deal. I loved learning about the country and customs of Ghana, and how people are trying to educate the population about AIDS. Although I found the murderer a bit too easy to identify, there were so many layers to the story that I didn't mind.

Dawson, his family, the country of Ghana, and the endless possibilities of mystery and enlightenment make this series one to watch.

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