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rebeccai's review against another edition
challenging
dark
emotional
mysterious
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
teresaalice's review against another edition
4.0
I am really enjoying the character development of the protagonist and will continue to read this series.
swfountaine's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
dark
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.25
heathersbike's review against another edition
Okay, I was right on the home front but way off on the work mystery. Definitely got red herring'd. Hats off to you, Ms. Chapman. Love these books.
kbranfield's review against another edition
4.0
4.5 stars.
Shallow End by Brenda Chapman is a riveting mystery that has plenty of unexpected twists and turns. This fourth installment in the Stonechild and Rouleau series can easily be read as a standalone but I highly recommend the other books in the series.
After teenager Devon Eton is murdered, Staff Sergeant Jacques Rouleau assigns Detectives Kala Stonechild and Paul Gundersund to the case. Devon's parents, Hilary and Mitchell are convinced Jane Thompson, the teacher who was convicted of sexually abusing their son four years earlier, is responsible for his death. Recently released from prison, Jane is attempting to rebuild her life and reconnect with her two children. Stonechild and Gundersund's investigation turns up no evidence against Jane and in fact, they are having a difficult time uncovering any leads in the case. Does Devon's best friend Charlie Hanson know more than he is telling? What possible motive would Jane have for killing Devon? Stonechild and Gundersund hope the answers to these very intriguing questions will help them unmask Devon's killer.
Rouleau, Stonechild and Gundersund are seasoned detectives but their investigation quickly hits a brick wall. Stonechild is very intuitive and she relies are her instincts just as much as she does the evidence. Not wanting to reveal her theories until she has more information, Stonechild is a bit of a loner who plays her cards very close to her vest for much of the investigation. Gundersund cannot help but be a little concerned that Stonechild is reverting to old habits, but he knows she will confide in him once she the evidence to back to up her hunches.
Kala and Paul are not as certain as the Etons that Jane is responsible for their son's death. They turn up a few inconsistencies during their interviews with Devon's teachers and classmates. By all accounts, he is an incredibly smart young man who is well-liked by his peers but his coach's assessment of his player is not quite as positive as everyone else's. They are also quite certain that Charlie knows much more than he is telling but he is rather uncooperative during their interviews with him.
In addition to the ongoing investigation, the detectives assigned to the case are struggling with personal issues as well. Kala grows increasingly worried about the situation with her niece Dawn, who is not settling in with her foster family. Paul despairs of ever getting free of his estranged wife, Fiona, who refuses to believe their marriage is finally over. Rouleau is still grieving his ex-wife's death and he continues to be concerned about his father. Fellow detective Woodhouse continues to be a thorn in everyone's side due to his off color jokes and sly behavior.
Shallow End is an incredibly well-written police procedural with a clever storyline and brilliant plot twists. Brenda Chapman keeps the murderer's identity and motive for the crime tightly under wraps right up until the novel's explosive conclusion. An absolutely outstanding addition to the Stonechild and Rouleau series that old and new fans do not want to miss.
Shallow End by Brenda Chapman is a riveting mystery that has plenty of unexpected twists and turns. This fourth installment in the Stonechild and Rouleau series can easily be read as a standalone but I highly recommend the other books in the series.
After teenager Devon Eton is murdered, Staff Sergeant Jacques Rouleau assigns Detectives Kala Stonechild and Paul Gundersund to the case. Devon's parents, Hilary and Mitchell are convinced Jane Thompson, the teacher who was convicted of sexually abusing their son four years earlier, is responsible for his death. Recently released from prison, Jane is attempting to rebuild her life and reconnect with her two children. Stonechild and Gundersund's investigation turns up no evidence against Jane and in fact, they are having a difficult time uncovering any leads in the case. Does Devon's best friend Charlie Hanson know more than he is telling? What possible motive would Jane have for killing Devon? Stonechild and Gundersund hope the answers to these very intriguing questions will help them unmask Devon's killer.
Rouleau, Stonechild and Gundersund are seasoned detectives but their investigation quickly hits a brick wall. Stonechild is very intuitive and she relies are her instincts just as much as she does the evidence. Not wanting to reveal her theories until she has more information, Stonechild is a bit of a loner who plays her cards very close to her vest for much of the investigation. Gundersund cannot help but be a little concerned that Stonechild is reverting to old habits, but he knows she will confide in him once she the evidence to back to up her hunches.
Kala and Paul are not as certain as the Etons that Jane is responsible for their son's death. They turn up a few inconsistencies during their interviews with Devon's teachers and classmates. By all accounts, he is an incredibly smart young man who is well-liked by his peers but his coach's assessment of his player is not quite as positive as everyone else's. They are also quite certain that Charlie knows much more than he is telling but he is rather uncooperative during their interviews with him.
In addition to the ongoing investigation, the detectives assigned to the case are struggling with personal issues as well. Kala grows increasingly worried about the situation with her niece Dawn, who is not settling in with her foster family. Paul despairs of ever getting free of his estranged wife, Fiona, who refuses to believe their marriage is finally over. Rouleau is still grieving his ex-wife's death and he continues to be concerned about his father. Fellow detective Woodhouse continues to be a thorn in everyone's side due to his off color jokes and sly behavior.
Shallow End is an incredibly well-written police procedural with a clever storyline and brilliant plot twists. Brenda Chapman keeps the murderer's identity and motive for the crime tightly under wraps right up until the novel's explosive conclusion. An absolutely outstanding addition to the Stonechild and Rouleau series that old and new fans do not want to miss.
trickyplanet's review against another edition
4.0
Another excellent mystery from Brenda Chapman. This was so hard to put down. Fast, easy read.
emp1234's review against another edition
3.0
I'm enjoying this series. This book wasn't quite as good as the others, but it did keep me guessing where the heck things were going until the end.
weaselweader's review against another edition
5.0
Chapman’s STONECHILD AND ROULEAU series moves from one strength to another!
Jane Thompson was a dedicated and successful English teacher and a loving wife and mother. Now she’s an ex-con, a mother whose children are in the sole custody of their father, a divorced wife, and a child predator convicted of the sexual assault of one of her grade seven male students. Shortly after her release on parole, the boy whom she was found guilty of molesting (now a young man) was found brutally beaten to death on the shores of Lake Ontario. Kala Stonechild and Paul Gundersund, assigned as leads on the case by Jacques Rouleau, head of Kingston’s Criminal Investigation Division, don’t take very long to place Jane Thompson in the #1 slot on their suspect list.
For much of the novel, SHALLOW END is a gripping, character driven police procedural that wends its way with single-minded compulsion through the murder investigation and the continuing development of the personal lives of the returning cast members of the series – Jacques Rouleau, the kind-hearted, recently promoted detective still in recovery from the death of his wife and worried about the health of his aging father; Kala Stonechild, an aboriginal female torn by her feelings for Paul Gundersund and deeply concerned for the welfare of her troubled niece who was recently removed from her care by the municipal government and placed in a foster home with a family that just doesn’t seem to care; Paul Gundersund, (Stonechild’s partner) with the inability to walk away from his marriage to a conniving and very practiced philandering wife; and Zack Woodhouse, the narcissistic, bullying and crudely misogynistic member of the police team who just can’t seem to figure out the meaning of the word teamwork!
Then there is the list of newly created characters who form the core of the current story SHALLOW END! It simply blows me away at the extent to which these characters can be developed so meaningfully and so completely in the course of a single novel. You might love them or you might hate them but – make no mistake – they will definitely interest you, they will delight you, they will surprise and astonish you, and you will care about the resolution of the murder case and its effect on their lives.
For 80% of the novel, Chapman meticulously and deliciously unfolds a masterful description of a slow and steady police investigation intended to ensure that the evidence is irrefutable before any charges are placed. But then, but then … the pedal goes to the floor, the story goes into overdrive, and SHALLOW END enters the realm of high speed suspense thriller. The climax, the dénouement, and the closing twist are engaging and there isn’t a reader on the globe who won’t walk away with a pleased smile on their face ready to pick up the next entry in the series, TURNING SECRETS.
Definitely recommended and already on the list of one of my favourites for 2022!
Paul Weiss
Jane Thompson was a dedicated and successful English teacher and a loving wife and mother. Now she’s an ex-con, a mother whose children are in the sole custody of their father, a divorced wife, and a child predator convicted of the sexual assault of one of her grade seven male students. Shortly after her release on parole, the boy whom she was found guilty of molesting (now a young man) was found brutally beaten to death on the shores of Lake Ontario. Kala Stonechild and Paul Gundersund, assigned as leads on the case by Jacques Rouleau, head of Kingston’s Criminal Investigation Division, don’t take very long to place Jane Thompson in the #1 slot on their suspect list.
For much of the novel, SHALLOW END is a gripping, character driven police procedural that wends its way with single-minded compulsion through the murder investigation and the continuing development of the personal lives of the returning cast members of the series – Jacques Rouleau, the kind-hearted, recently promoted detective still in recovery from the death of his wife and worried about the health of his aging father; Kala Stonechild, an aboriginal female torn by her feelings for Paul Gundersund and deeply concerned for the welfare of her troubled niece who was recently removed from her care by the municipal government and placed in a foster home with a family that just doesn’t seem to care; Paul Gundersund, (Stonechild’s partner) with the inability to walk away from his marriage to a conniving and very practiced philandering wife; and Zack Woodhouse, the narcissistic, bullying and crudely misogynistic member of the police team who just can’t seem to figure out the meaning of the word teamwork!
Then there is the list of newly created characters who form the core of the current story SHALLOW END! It simply blows me away at the extent to which these characters can be developed so meaningfully and so completely in the course of a single novel. You might love them or you might hate them but – make no mistake – they will definitely interest you, they will delight you, they will surprise and astonish you, and you will care about the resolution of the murder case and its effect on their lives.
For 80% of the novel, Chapman meticulously and deliciously unfolds a masterful description of a slow and steady police investigation intended to ensure that the evidence is irrefutable before any charges are placed. But then, but then … the pedal goes to the floor, the story goes into overdrive, and SHALLOW END enters the realm of high speed suspense thriller. The climax, the dénouement, and the closing twist are engaging and there isn’t a reader on the globe who won’t walk away with a pleased smile on their face ready to pick up the next entry in the series, TURNING SECRETS.
Definitely recommended and already on the list of one of my favourites for 2022!
Paul Weiss