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    Under a Silent Moon: A Novel
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    Under a Silent Moon: A Novel
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    Under a Silent Moon: A Novel
    Ebook499 pages7 hours

    Under a Silent Moon: A Novel

    By Elizabeth Haynes

    4/5

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    Currently unavailable

    About this ebook

    P. D. James meets E. L. James in Under a Silent Moon, this first novel in an exciting British crime series—a blend of literary suspense and page-turning thriller that introduces formidable Detective Chief Inspector Louisa Smith—from suspense talent Elizabeth Haynes, author of the bestselling Into the Darkest Corner.

    In the crisp, early hours of an autumn morning, the police are called to investigate two deaths. The first is a suspected murder at a farm on the outskirts of a small village. A beautiful young woman has been found dead, her cottage drenched with blood. The second is a reported suicide at a nearby quarry. A car with a woman’s body inside was found at the bottom of the pit.

    As DI Louisa Smith and her team gather evidence, they discover a shocking link between the two cases and the two deaths—a bond that sealed their terrible fates one cold night, under a silent moon.

    In Under a Silent Moon, Elizabeth Haynes interweaves fictional primary source materials—police reports, phone messages, interviews—and multiple character viewpoints to create a sexy, edgy, and compulsively readable tale of murder, mystery, and unsettling suspense. 

    LanguageEnglish
    PublisherHarperCollins
    Release dateApr 15, 2014
    ISBN9780062276056
    Unavailable
    Under a Silent Moon: A Novel
    Author

    Elizabeth Haynes

    Elizabeth Haynes is a former police intelligence analyst, a civilian role that involves determining patterns in offending and criminal behavior. She is the New York Times bestselling author of Into the Darkest Corner, Dark Tide, Human Remains, and, most recently, Under a Silent Moon, the first installment of the Briarstone crime series.

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    Reviews for Under a Silent Moon

    4/5

    111 ratings16 reviews

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    • 2/5
      as it is not opening
    • 4/5
      Initially, I would recommend this book to someone who likes police procedural shows, whether British or not. The lead character definitely will remind you of Prime Suspect's DCI. There are also similarites between Lou and Carol Jordan in the Tony Hill/Carol Jordan mysteries by Val McDermid. Those who love BBC America mysteries will find this series appealing.

      This is a fast-paced mystery that flows well. There is a diverse group of secondary characters and the perspective changes from that of the various officers to the witnesses and potential suspects.
      The DCI Lou faces the usual sexism and difficulty of managing workplace relationships.

      (Standard disclosure- I use these reviews for readers advisory in the library so it's not a standard review but intead I use it to jog my memory about appeal factors.)

    • 4/5
      Under a Silent Moon by Elizabeth Haynes is a police procedural that is the first book in a series featuring DI Louisa Smith. The story features police reports, copies of interviews, e-mails and other documents pertaining to the case of two deceased women. These documents helped to move this rather slow moving story along but overall, I enjoyed many aspects of this story and found it complicated and twisted enough to hold my attention. The story unfolds through multiple aspects which helps to place the reader in the middle of this investigation and makes the story more viable. Unfortunately I thought that the main character, Louisa Smith wasn’t strongly developed but perhaps the author is planning on doing this over the course of the series. The other members of Louisa’s team were interesting and there was conflict enough to carry over into subsequent books.Overall Under A Silent Moon was a clever mystery that unfolded in an authentic manner and was intriguing enough that I will most likely be on the lookout for the next book in the series.
    • 5/5
      good
    • 5/5
      Suspenseful and kept me guessing. Love the character of Lou!
    • 5/5
      perfetto
    • 4/5
      Under a Silent Moon by Elizabeth Haynes is a highly recommended British police procedural that marks the start of a new series.

      The day after Halloween two different women are found dead in a small village. Polly Leuchars, who was working as a stable hand for Felicity Maitland, is found bludgeoned to death in her cottage. Clearly she was murdered. A second woman, Barbara Fletcher-Norman, is found in a car that went into quarry. Once he hears of her death, her husband collapses and is sent to the hospital. Things are not quite as simple as they originally seem for Detective Chief Inspector Louisa (Lou) Smith of the major crimes unit, who takes the lead in the investigation. Andy Hamiltion is also on the case to assist Lou. Matters are even further complicated because Barbara is a neighbor to the Maitlands. It seems that Polly may have been having an affair with Barbara's husband - as well as many others - but there is also some suspicious illegal business going on that could tie into the cases.

      For those who really love their police procedurals Under a Silent Moon includes official reports, interviews, emails, and documents from the case. These documents help to propel the story forward while uncovering clues to solve the crime, which results in an authenticity to the novel. It's one thing to tell us what the police heard from a witness. It's another thing to read the report or interview of the witness. I think the inclusion of the "official" documents is clearly an addition that you will either like or dislike - I happened to be on the like side. I also rather enjoyed the case diagrams provided in the appendix. Haynes is a police intelligence analyst so the materials she includes look like the real deal.

      While the plot of the novel is well thought out and carefully devised, some of the characters are less well developed. I wasn't too bothered by this because clearly some characters will be better developed over time in the new series. For those who like closure, the ending is clearly written with a sequel in mind so every issue in the story isn't completely resolved.
      Disclosure: My Kindle edition was courtesy of HarperCollins for review purposes
    • 4/5
      A couple of years ago, I read and loved Into the Darkest Corner by Elizabeth Haynes. It was an intense reading experience that left me checking the locks on my doors and windows more than I had before. Under a Silent Moon is a very different crime fiction novel. While the other had been more of a thriller, Under a Silent Moon is most definitely a police procedural.Haynes was meticulous in her research and in detailing the investigation of the two deaths as it unfolded over six days time. As a result, I felt as if I was right in the middle of the investigation with the police, rushing to find the truth, waiting for resources and technology outside their control to become available and chasing each lead as it came in, hoping one or two would lead them in the right direction. The novel is told from multiple perspectives, giving the reader a good overview of the various parts of the investigation.I always find it interesting to be in the middle of a police investigation, seeing how the pieces falling into place as well as the dynamics of those involved in the investigation. At the head of this investigation is DCI Louisa (Lou) Smith. It is her first time at the helm, and she wants to make a good impression. It isn't always easy for her. Her lead detective seems distracted and their history together only complicates matters.As focused on the two deaths and their possible connection as the novel was, I admit to being concerned character development would suffer as a result. I should not have worried. The reader gets a good feel for many of the players in the book as the investigation unfolds, including the victims. And given this is just the first book in a series, I am sure the reader will get to know more about the various continuing characters in future books. I definitely want to know more about Lou and Jason Mercer, the analyst.Many possible motives are raised throughout the book, some more likely than others. For the last third of the book, I was racing through to the end to see what the conclusion would be. While I was not surprised by the final outcome, I wanted--and needed--to know how everything would play out. In some ways this book is very similar to other police procedurals out there, but I really like Elizabeth Haynes' writing style and her characters, and I am looking forward to reading Behind Closed Doors, the next book in the series.
    • 3/5
      Not a bad read but the character names (and there are quite a few of them) are irritating I don't know why - they just are! Also two murders that are linked in some way and several strands of relationships that from time to time intertwine and this along with the murders gets a bit too much for the story to flow really really well. However I liked it and will seriously consider reading another one of her books some time soon
    • 3/5
      On the same day that Polly Leuchars is bludgeoned to death in a village near London, her neighbor Barbara Fletcher-Norman is found dead when her car crashes over a cliff. Barbara's death appears to be a suicide but further investigation proves that it was murder. One of the dead women, Polly, was very open with her sexuality and had multiple partners of both sexes so the range of murder suspects is quite large. This is the first investigation to be headed by newly promoted Detective Chief Inspector Louisa “Lou” Smith of Major Crimes. As she sifts through the evidence she also has to deal with problems within her own team. Detective Inspector Andy Hamilton wants to rekindle their relationship, even though he is still married and Louisa has developed a giant crush on her new senior analyst, Jason Mercer. The story is also told from multiple viewpoints which seemed to work out since we were able to see different character's motivations and thoughts that helped to contribute to pieces of the mystery. I just never felt any connection to the characters.

      DCI Louisa Smith was a bit disappointing. She didn't seem very well fleshed out. She's extremely attractive, wears sexy clothing, has gorgeous hair, and it appears she likes to sleep with her subordinates. The premise for this book was intriguing since I always enjoy this style of mystery. I wouldn't rush to read the next one but I might consider trying another book by this author.
    • 5/5
      Polly has been found dead in her cottage. Barbara has also been found dead in her car at the bottom of a quarry. Can DCI Louisa Smith find the connection between the two deaths.My Thoughts:This is the first book which features Lou Smith and she has to solve the two deaths in a small community, with Polly being the centre of it all.I thought this book was clever and done very well. Elizabeth Haynes has drawn on her own experiences as an analyst and featured them in the story.What I do enjoy about Elizabeth Haynes books is that they are all different. Every book up to yet have focused on something entirely different. The story for me had plenty to offer with a good mixture of characters which no doubt will appear again in further books. The story had plenty of twists and turns and although it wasn't quite edge of seat was a worthy thriller.An enjoyable thriller with good characters which have room for more developments in future books.
    • 4/5
      Elizabeth Haynes writes crime thrillers - darn good crime thrillers. I've read and really enjoyed her previous three books and was eager to get my hands on her latest - Under a Silent Moon. Haynes's first three books have been stand-alones, but the publisher's blurb lists Under a Silent Moon as the first in a new series. The protagonist is Detective Chief Inspector Louisa Smith. Louisa leads her first murder case when a young woman is found dead in a small village. The case doubles when another woman is found dead nearby, in what looks to be a suicide. And there more than geographical connections between the two women. Can the crime be a simple as a murder-suicide? Nope...... Haynes lays out a meticulous trail for the reader to follow as Louisa and her team struggle to make sense of the conflicting clues and information they gather. Connections and tendrils are there - as readers we know a bit more than the police. And a single little sentence lets us see what might happen. I was quite tempted to peek at the last few chapters 'just to see', but managed not to. And really, you wouldn't want to spoil this deliciously plotted thriller by reading out of turn. Haynes kept me guessing as to who the guilty party might be for quite awhile. I love British crime novels. The solving of the crime is done with step by step police work rather than guns drawn and blazing. It is this aspect that I really enjoy and Haynes does a phenomenal job. Her job as a police intelligence analyst brings so much authenticity and detail to all of her books. (The case documents of the crime in Under a Silent Moon are included as an appendix) And for those who want more, Haynes has written a great post on the technicalities of Under a Silent Moon. The secondary storyline in Under a Silent Moon revolves around the personal lives of the team, notably Louisa. This was a great introduction to a team I hope to see more of. But, the private lives of the team figure significantly into the main plot as well. I really enjoyed Under a Silent Moon. It was clever, authentic and a real page turner. I can't wait for the next book from Haynes!
    • 4/5
      I have been a fan of Elizabeth Haynes since her first novel, "Into the Darkest Corner", but none of her three subsequesnt books including this one has measured up to my expectations. My 4 star rating for "Under the Silent Moon" (USM) is rather generous. A young beautiful woman is found at the bottom of a staircase with her head bashed in. Turns out she had slept with a good percentage of the locals, male and female. Soon after, another woman is found dead, an apparent suicide; it is not immediately clear if the cases are linked. DCI Louisa Snith is assigned the case and assembles her team including the usual titles plus an analyst. Much is made of the role of the analyst, someone who not only gathers data, eg phone call records, but also examines it looking for patterns, conflicts with witness statements etc. Charts are in an appendix, unfortunately not very helpful to those of us who read on 7" tablets and are too lazy to fetch a magnifying glass (guess what Haynes' job is when she's not writing....)Despite all this analytical approach, I felt like the team was often running willy-nilly from one clue to another. Still don't understand why a chief suspect was not interviewed earlier. In the meantime, we are treated to lots of details of the love lives of all the cast - victims, suspects, and police. If there is a message here, it seems to be that sex complicates everything. Anyway, there are no subsequent deaths and the onion is slowly peeled back until we get to a rather satisfying climax(pun). Not sure if I'll read the second in the series, but I suspect so.
    • 3/5
      In the crisp early morning hours, the police are called to a suspected murder at a farm outside a small English village. A beautiful young woman has been found dead, blood all over the cottage she lived in. At the same time, police respond to a reported female suicide, where a car has fallen into a local quarry.

      As DCI Louisa Smith and her team gather the evidence, they discover a link between these two women, a link which has sealed their dreadful fate one cold night, under a silent moon.

      Told in a unique way, using source documents that allow readers to interpret the evidence alongside DCI Louisa Smith and her team, Under a Silent Moon is an unsettling and compulsively readable novel that will keep you gripped until the very last page.

      Fewmin!

      I loved Into the Darkest Corner and Human Remains but I was a little disappointed but now realise that might be because I listened to it as an audio book. Looking at the hard copy now I can see that it is set out as so the reader can almost be part of the investigation using the source material. As the author explained:

      “More than anything else, I wanted to write a novel that included some realistic source documents alongside the narrative. Under a Silent Moon does that: it’s a police procedural, with a Major Crime team investigating two unexplained deaths; but as well as the story, told by various people involved in the case, the book has witness statements, emails, forensic reports and analysis documents and charts, the idea being that the reader has access to everything they need to solve the crime alongside the investigators. For those who enjoy flicking through a book and seeing diagrams, forms and other interesting diversions, there are clues to be had if you know where to look. And yet the book can be read just as well without paying too much attention to the extra content.”

      The story was fine, the characters well drawn, just felt something was missing something and now realise it was! Get the hard copy....


    • 3/5
      Under a Silent Moon centers around the events of one night that shatter the peace of a quiet English village. On that night, an attractive young woman is gruesomely stabbed in her bedroom, while another woman dies when her car crashes to the bottom of a quarry near her home. The first death is clearly murder; the second appears to be an accident. But as the police begin their investigations, they begin to wonder if there might be a connection between the two events, and the death in the quarry might not be an accident after all.Author Elizabeth Haynes weaves the background stories of the two deaths together with fictionalized police data reports to create a realistic story of a police investigation. The reader is able to follow the officers' actions as theories are put forward and discarded. Detective Chief Inspector Louisa Smith heads up the investigation as she deals with personal relationships that intersect with professional ones, often posing dangerous risks for the officers and jeopardizing police work. Family members of both victims keep secrets from each other and follow their own passions at the risk of family bonds, and run the risk of derailing the discovery of those behind the two women's deaths.The novel takes place over a span of six days, from the night of the two deaths until the final discovery of those responsible for them. Unlike Ms. Haynes' other novels, Under a Silent Moon is more police procedural than psychological thriller. The charts and other police data included in the book give a fascinating insight into the timing of the investigation, rather than being dry and bureaucratic. DCI Louisa Smith, along with her co-workers Andy Hamilton and Jason Mercer have private lives that lead them into sometimes dangerous trouble. Hamilton's addiction to sex almost ruins his marriage and his career, and very nearly costs him his life.Author Haynes creates a larger than life picture of a criminal investigation as her main character Louisa Smith leads her team through a quagmire of false clues and suspects. This is an edgy, suspenseful story that will keep you up late at night, but make sure you have your doors locked.
    • 3/5
      Elizabeth Haynes draws on her experience as a police analyst in Under A Silent Moon, the first book in a new series to feature Detective Chief Inspector Louisa ‘Lou’ Smith.Lou’s first case as Detective Chief Inspector involves the brutal murder of Polly Leuchars, an attractive and popular horse groomer, beaten to death in her own home. As her team begins their investigation, they are alerted to a second death in which a woman known to their victim is suspected to have committed suicide by driving into a quarry. It seems likely the two cases are connected but exactly how and why is for ‘Op Nettle’ to determine, and the answer is not as simple as it may first appear.To balance the professional aspects of the investigation Haynes allows us glimpses into the private lives of the investigating police officers. This includes the budding romance between Louisa and police intelligence analyst, Jason Mercer and DI Andy Hamilton’s careless womanising that compromise both the case and his life.The story is organised in chronological order, covering the six days of the investigation. The emphasis is on the investigative procedures of the police task force, named ‘Op Nettle’, as they interview witnesses, cross check facts, execute search warrants, and collate relevant evidence in their remit to solve the case. The novel also includes partial transcripts of text messages, witness statements, press releases and similar documents which add authentic detail to the story.I mostly found the details of the investigation interesting, though also, I have to admit, sometimes dry and repetitive. There is tension inherent in the plot, after all the police are chasing a killer, but it’s more subdued than I expected, and I thought the pace lagged at times.While I think there is still room for improvement as the series develops, particularly in terms of pacing and creating suspense, I do like the overall concept. I’ll be interested in seeing how Haynes builds on this introduction in the next installment.