Blood, Salt, Water

An Alex Morrow Novel

De: Denise Mina

Narrado por: Cathleen McCarron

Detective Alex Morrow discovers that the darkest secrets never stay buried as she investigates the criminal underbelly of a seemingly tranquil seaside town.

For reasons she can't quite explain, Alex Morrow is addicted to watching surveillance footage of Roxanna Fuentecilla -- a gorgeous Spanish mother of two, in a tempestuous relationship with her boyfriend, who recently relocated to Glasgow under mysterious circumstances. She is also Morrow's prime suspect in an investigation that resembles a soap opera, filled with glamorous jetsetters and enough money to interest the highest levels of law enforcement. Until Roxanna vanishes.

Morrow traces Roxanna's steps to Helensburgh, a sleepy, picturesque seaside community. But behind the idyllic Victorian homes and quaint storefronts, darkness lurks. Home to a man with blood on his hands who is haunted by guilt, a mysterious woman with ulterior motives back in town for the first time in decades, a sexually frustrated restaurateur looking to blow off steam, and a crew of vicious small-time gangsters blindly following orders, it's a town ruled by base instincts where no one is quite what they seem. And it's the perfect place to get rid of someone.

When she uncovers an unsettling connection to Roxanna's job back in Glasgow, Morrow suspects that her missing person is more than a white-collar criminal on the lam -- she may also be a victim caught up in a sophisticated conspiracy that stretches far beyond Helensburgh and is more personal than Morrow ever imagined. As the truth rises to the surface and the conflicts that lie beneath Helensburgh's calm waters threaten to explode, Morrow must find Roxanna before any hope of solving the case disappears with her.

A gripping tale of greed, power, and vengeance, Blood, Salt, Water is a masterful crime novel from Denise Mina that confirms her reputation as "one of the genre's brights stars" (George Pelecanos).

Best reader ever

this was a very good and typically gritty Mina novel. what struck me was the outstanding reading by Cathleen McCarron.

My least favorite in the series

The most sympathetic character in this book is probably the murderer. The description of the murder is horrific and I don't appreciate horror even in a murder mystery. (The end of the Wasp Season was graphic like this as well.) And the confusing plot is never sufficiently explained. A disappointment in terms of plot and character and there is not much left but a good performance by the narrator.

entertaining!

it's not Nabokov, but it's engaging and entertaining. have listened to the whole series.

Story behind the Story

Ms Mina’s work for me is about the stories behind the story. The everyday lives with average pettiness and normal but overlooked glory that surround and connect us. The utter tragedy that afflicts and contaminates and the people who struggle to stand or bow in the face of life.

The mysteries themselves are absorbing and intellectually intriguing, particularly the detecting and the reach of the tendrils or wake of events.

This Narrator made the book come alive!

Would you consider the audio edition of Blood, Salt, Water to be better than the print version?

Sadly, I've returned a few audible books lately since the narration has been awful. It's so refreshing to actually enjoy a narrator again!

What about Cathleen McCarron’s performance did you like?

Everything. She made me empathetic towards a murderer.

Any additional comments?

Denise Mina is always great.

Another solid Alex Morrow

I love Denise Mina. Her mysteries are several cuts above the usual quality of the genre. Her characters have depth and her writing is excellent. Blood, Salt, Water isn't as intense and thrilling as her others, but it is fascinating, engrossing, and well worth your time. Cathleen McCarron does a fine job with the narration, perfectly matching Morrow's acerbic tone and anger without making it hard to listen to. Highly recommended!

I love Denise Mina!

Well written and well performed. Each new book by Mina is better than the last

Great read

... I didn't understand the ending
But thoroughly enjoyed it and the reader is truly phenomenal.

Best book of the series

I liked this book the best out of the five. Wish there were more of Alex Morrow.

Editing my review

I have now either read or listened to all of Denise Mina's books. She writes brilliantly, her plots r complex without being contrived, her characters draw you in. There is no "filler" that drags on and on. Things move along quickly. I listen while I work, and most books in this genre are easy enough to grasp while working. But I found that I missed a lot that way while listening to Denise Mina's books. Im actually listening to them over again (after a break) and cant believe how much i missed with noise, interruptions, distractions the first time. Denise Mina's books are the best crime fiction writing Ive ever read, and Ive been reading a lot for decades. The narrator is also absolutely first rate. I am not known for my gushing reviews.