The Disappearance of Peter Markham by Donna Morfett
Do you believe in Karma? Peter Markham should have. The past has come tapping him on his shoulder with an appointment for a reckoning. There will be no tomorrow. The killer did everything to cover their tracks, but is that possible? Who is this mystery person to bear such a grudge, but more importantly, why? Is it possible to forgive the past?
DI Cora Snitton is new to the station and wants to make an impression. The pressure is on her to find Peter Markham and put the world back together again, at least for his wife. If Peter has a history, so have others. Secrets breed secrets while tragedy is only around the corner. It’s up to Cora and the officers on her team like rookie DC’s Darcey and Luke to solve the crime and deliver justice.
About the author
Donna is a dedicated reviewer, interviewer and supporter of the writing community. As a crime writer herself, she can be often found at writing festivals chatting to readers and authors alike.
Like many others during lockdown she wanted to find a way to try and wile away the many hours while the country came to a standstill. She’s always been an avid and voracious reader, so decided to see if there were more book groups on Facebook. Three months later she was up to her eyes in advanced copies of books and quickly learned all there was to know about blogs and blog tours.
Donna has been blogging ever since. She’s heavily involved in the crime fiction community, interviewing authors, attending as many festivals as she can.
Review
‘The Disappearance of Peter Markham’ is a debut novel that packs a punch! I'm always worried about picking up a debut writer sometimes but there is no need for that apprehension in this case as its a fantastic book! Donna has managed to create characters that linger in the mind and her story is deftly plotted. I can't wait to read more from her!
The book introduces us to the character of DI Cora Snitton and I can honestly say I am a fan of her already. Cora is still quite new to the department and is getting to know the team when they get the shout that a local businessman Peter Markham has gone missing after not returning from a work trip. Cora seems to think he has just done the normal of finding another woman but we the readers know otherwise! The baddie in this case is a woman and she has taken great pains to get her hands on Peter and ultimately kill him. Will Cora be able to find the killer and understand why Peter was taken?
Cora is a great protagonist and it was a pleasure to be introduced to her. She is intelligent, trying to interact with her team members, determined to get justice and to cap it all off she moonlights as a stand-up comic in her spare time! I really enjoyed Cora as a character and can't wait to get to know her even more in the coming books.
This book deals with hard-hitting issues yet it manages to do this with empathy and understanding. Since we see the narrative developing from multiple POVS the reader really manages to embrace and hold tight to the intertwined threads and they come to a stunning if heart-wrenching conclusion. I flew through this book in a couple of sittings and I did not want to put it down, always the sign of a good book! I am really looking forward to reading its follow-up.
Let me know if you pick this one up!
