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kcfromaustcrime's review against another edition
4.0
CONTAINMENT is the third in the Sam Shephard series from New Zealand writer Vanda Symon. It's rapidly stepped up to be one of my all time favourite series for a whole bunch of reasons.
Firstly these are truly humorous books. Subtly, ever so slightly tongue in cheek, the humour is both self-deprecating and tension alleviating. My favourite sort. Sam's voice is particularly appealing - as she busily beats herself up mentally, leaving the physical assault to the scavengers on the beach in the case of CONTAINMENT. As mentioned in earlier reviews - because the books are told from Sam's point of view, her self-deprecation and self-analysis is part of what alleviates any sense of myopia or self-servitude that can sometimes occur with that viewpoint.
Secondly they are solid, believable, twisty and nicely complex plots. They are particularly believable and realistic in the setting in which the action takes place. Symon's small town or country New Zealand is a place where the crimes, the perpetrators, the cops and the victims all fit perfectly. Often the action starts out small-time and stays that way, in other cases things escalate rapidly, frequently slightly out of control and mostly inexplicably until everything just explodes around the cops and perpetrators ears!
Lastly, but not least of all, there are great characters in these books. The stand out is obviously Sam Shephard herself. The country cop who has moved to the bigger city, but not lost that practical, self-deprecating, country sensibility. Her awareness (and willingness to beat herself up) for her shortcomings, her understanding and forgiveness and care for those who surround her is .. here's those words again .. realistic and believable. Sam is definitely the sort of cop that you can well imagine running into at a crime scene, at the pub, in a hospital bed. Because she is a little accident prone. Mostly because of enthusiasm and concern for the job, partially because of a stubborn refusal to think things through totally, Sam spends more than a bit of time in her own physical or mental wars. Just to add to the mix, the course of true love gets smacked around the head pretty regularly by Sam, and the bosom of her loving family has it's own twists and turns.
Whilst Sam is definitely the star of her own show in these books, the supporting cast isn't one dimensional or off-camera. Her interactions with the other cops in her team, her boss, her parents, cop boyfriend and best friend Maggie are very good. Particularly her relationship with friend, flatmate and voice of reason Maggie. It's actually a fantastic element of these books - to have a strong, supportive and brutally honest relationship between two women drawn so clearly is a relatively rare occurrence, and it's done extremely well in these books - although Maggie is possibly slightly less present in CONTAINMENT than I recall her in the earlier books.
For all the gushing of this review, these books aren't just light-hearted entertainment. There are often elements in the plots which are unexpected, unpleasant even - characters that are expendable, deaths that are confrontational or emotional. The light-hearted touch of Symon doesn't conceal the reality of criminal activity, murder or mayhem. It just makes the lesson slightly more palatable.
Firstly these are truly humorous books. Subtly, ever so slightly tongue in cheek, the humour is both self-deprecating and tension alleviating. My favourite sort. Sam's voice is particularly appealing - as she busily beats herself up mentally, leaving the physical assault to the scavengers on the beach in the case of CONTAINMENT. As mentioned in earlier reviews - because the books are told from Sam's point of view, her self-deprecation and self-analysis is part of what alleviates any sense of myopia or self-servitude that can sometimes occur with that viewpoint.
Secondly they are solid, believable, twisty and nicely complex plots. They are particularly believable and realistic in the setting in which the action takes place. Symon's small town or country New Zealand is a place where the crimes, the perpetrators, the cops and the victims all fit perfectly. Often the action starts out small-time and stays that way, in other cases things escalate rapidly, frequently slightly out of control and mostly inexplicably until everything just explodes around the cops and perpetrators ears!
Lastly, but not least of all, there are great characters in these books. The stand out is obviously Sam Shephard herself. The country cop who has moved to the bigger city, but not lost that practical, self-deprecating, country sensibility. Her awareness (and willingness to beat herself up) for her shortcomings, her understanding and forgiveness and care for those who surround her is .. here's those words again .. realistic and believable. Sam is definitely the sort of cop that you can well imagine running into at a crime scene, at the pub, in a hospital bed. Because she is a little accident prone. Mostly because of enthusiasm and concern for the job, partially because of a stubborn refusal to think things through totally, Sam spends more than a bit of time in her own physical or mental wars. Just to add to the mix, the course of true love gets smacked around the head pretty regularly by Sam, and the bosom of her loving family has it's own twists and turns.
Whilst Sam is definitely the star of her own show in these books, the supporting cast isn't one dimensional or off-camera. Her interactions with the other cops in her team, her boss, her parents, cop boyfriend and best friend Maggie are very good. Particularly her relationship with friend, flatmate and voice of reason Maggie. It's actually a fantastic element of these books - to have a strong, supportive and brutally honest relationship between two women drawn so clearly is a relatively rare occurrence, and it's done extremely well in these books - although Maggie is possibly slightly less present in CONTAINMENT than I recall her in the earlier books.
For all the gushing of this review, these books aren't just light-hearted entertainment. There are often elements in the plots which are unexpected, unpleasant even - characters that are expendable, deaths that are confrontational or emotional. The light-hearted touch of Symon doesn't conceal the reality of criminal activity, murder or mayhem. It just makes the lesson slightly more palatable.
kellyvandamme's review against another edition
5.0
Hi and welcome to Aramoana beach! Imagine the sound of the waves crashing on the beach, imagine the wind playing with your hair, imagine the early morning sun warming your face… Idyllic innit! Now imagine a ginormous cargo ship run aground on this beach, imagine dozens of looters roaming it for washed-up treasure, imagine spotting two men fighting over a box with someone’s belongings, each trying to make off with it, imagine trying to stop them and one of them punching your lights out… Welcome to Sam Shephard’s life!
Containment is Sam(antha) Shephard’s third outing, after Overkill and The Ringmaster, which I both read about a year ago, so I was absolutely thrilled to be back in Sam’s company, it was high time for my Sam fix, and it was an absolute joy to back in New Zealand! Despite the bad stuff that tends to happen when Sam is around, I always feel like packing my bags and hopping on to the next plane heading to Kiwi land!
For the record: you can read Containment as a standalone if you really want to, there are no spoilers to the previous books and the continuing storylines are easy enough to understand without prior knowledge, but since this is such a excellent series, and the books are short(ish), snappy and highly entertaining I’d nevertheless recommend you read them all.
Containment picks up where The Ringmaster left off. Sam is still living in Dunedin with her best friend Maggy, she’s a Detective Constable with the Dunedin police force and I was happy to find her in a committed, if long-distance, relationship. Of course Sam wouldn’t be Sam if she wasn’t – despite her best intentions – actively sabotaging her own life… I swear, at some point I sincerely wanted to shake some sense into that girl! The fact that I have such strong opinions goes to show just how invested I am, ‘cause I really do love Sam, tiny but feisty, loyal and, despite her profession, predisposed to believe in the goodness of people. It absolutely helps that she, or rather Vanda Symon, has a wicked sense of humour. Despite the rather grim events (and they get more grim by the chapter, lemme tell ya), Containment is also fun and funny, it’s not a laugh a minute or anything, but some well-timed dry and sarcastic observations take the pressure off and made me chuckle.
I commented in my dual review of the first two books on the fact that Sam has a knack for rubbing her superiors the wrong way, and while this time she makes quite commendable efforts to lay low and be the kind of obedient, yet enthusiastic, subordinate officer any DI would dream of having on their team, it’s not quite working out. I disliked DI Johns more with every appearance he made and I’m now in a place where I hate him almost as much as I loathe Skinner from T.S. Hunter’s Soho Noir series, and if you’ve read my reviews you’ll know what a huge deal that is! So here’s me hoping for some comeuppance for the DI in the next instalment, OR (‘cause I’m actually really fair that way) for Johns to see the light and realise the sheer brilliance of Sam Shephard and what a great asset she is to the force! But in the meantime, yes, there is rather a lot of antagonism there, but then again, every hero needs a nemesis, don’t they.
As in Overkill and The Ringmaster, what we see in the first scenes is just the very tip of the iceberg. The more of the story we see, the more mess we see, until it’s once again crystal clear just how huge of a cesspool Sam has managed to unearth. Vanda Symon always takes me by surprise, I never manage to foresee any of the winding path she’s about to take me on and I always end up where I least expected it, and I absolutely love that!
An intricate and hugely entertaining crime thriller with a heroine to root for and some very amusing supporting characters in an exotic setting (to me at least), Containment was a joy to read and I really don’t want to wait another year for the next instalment! Recommended!
Containment is Sam(antha) Shephard’s third outing, after Overkill and The Ringmaster, which I both read about a year ago, so I was absolutely thrilled to be back in Sam’s company, it was high time for my Sam fix, and it was an absolute joy to back in New Zealand! Despite the bad stuff that tends to happen when Sam is around, I always feel like packing my bags and hopping on to the next plane heading to Kiwi land!
For the record: you can read Containment as a standalone if you really want to, there are no spoilers to the previous books and the continuing storylines are easy enough to understand without prior knowledge, but since this is such a excellent series, and the books are short(ish), snappy and highly entertaining I’d nevertheless recommend you read them all.
Containment picks up where The Ringmaster left off. Sam is still living in Dunedin with her best friend Maggy, she’s a Detective Constable with the Dunedin police force and I was happy to find her in a committed, if long-distance, relationship. Of course Sam wouldn’t be Sam if she wasn’t – despite her best intentions – actively sabotaging her own life… I swear, at some point I sincerely wanted to shake some sense into that girl! The fact that I have such strong opinions goes to show just how invested I am, ‘cause I really do love Sam, tiny but feisty, loyal and, despite her profession, predisposed to believe in the goodness of people. It absolutely helps that she, or rather Vanda Symon, has a wicked sense of humour. Despite the rather grim events (and they get more grim by the chapter, lemme tell ya), Containment is also fun and funny, it’s not a laugh a minute or anything, but some well-timed dry and sarcastic observations take the pressure off and made me chuckle.
I commented in my dual review of the first two books on the fact that Sam has a knack for rubbing her superiors the wrong way, and while this time she makes quite commendable efforts to lay low and be the kind of obedient, yet enthusiastic, subordinate officer any DI would dream of having on their team, it’s not quite working out. I disliked DI Johns more with every appearance he made and I’m now in a place where I hate him almost as much as I loathe Skinner from T.S. Hunter’s Soho Noir series, and if you’ve read my reviews you’ll know what a huge deal that is! So here’s me hoping for some comeuppance for the DI in the next instalment, OR (‘cause I’m actually really fair that way) for Johns to see the light and realise the sheer brilliance of Sam Shephard and what a great asset she is to the force! But in the meantime, yes, there is rather a lot of antagonism there, but then again, every hero needs a nemesis, don’t they.
As in Overkill and The Ringmaster, what we see in the first scenes is just the very tip of the iceberg. The more of the story we see, the more mess we see, until it’s once again crystal clear just how huge of a cesspool Sam has managed to unearth. Vanda Symon always takes me by surprise, I never manage to foresee any of the winding path she’s about to take me on and I always end up where I least expected it, and I absolutely love that!
An intricate and hugely entertaining crime thriller with a heroine to root for and some very amusing supporting characters in an exotic setting (to me at least), Containment was a joy to read and I really don’t want to wait another year for the next instalment! Recommended!
btpbookclub's review against another edition
4.0
Containment is book three in the Sam Shephard series. This is a series that just gets hotter and better with each book. Vanda has really upped the stakes in this one. Its tense. Edgy. Thilling and a real page turner. Can easily be read as a standalone. In this case Sam finds herself in a tricky position between work and personal life. She is involved with this case but not in the police way… In other ways.
The way Sam conducts herself in this case will have readers split at her decisions. Did she go above and beyond? Did she do the right thing? Should she have followed protocol? Was she selfish to do what she did? Did she break all the rules? I admit she did a lot she shouldn’t have legally… But it worked. Even if she did feel her bosses wrath. Didn’t like her boss at all, throwing his weight around, demanding what they do etc.
Brilliant story. Great case. Love Sams character and her little team. It’s not just all about the case we get a look into her personal life too and her relationship which broke up this case perfectly throughout. She is brave, determind and a strong woman who knows what she wants and how to get the answers she needs. Brilliantly written.
I cannot wait to see what lies ahead for us in book four. Really enjoyed reading this one. Four stars from me. Highly recommend. Clever case.
The way Sam conducts herself in this case will have readers split at her decisions. Did she go above and beyond? Did she do the right thing? Should she have followed protocol? Was she selfish to do what she did? Did she break all the rules? I admit she did a lot she shouldn’t have legally… But it worked. Even if she did feel her bosses wrath. Didn’t like her boss at all, throwing his weight around, demanding what they do etc.
Brilliant story. Great case. Love Sams character and her little team. It’s not just all about the case we get a look into her personal life too and her relationship which broke up this case perfectly throughout. She is brave, determind and a strong woman who knows what she wants and how to get the answers she needs. Brilliantly written.
I cannot wait to see what lies ahead for us in book four. Really enjoyed reading this one. Four stars from me. Highly recommend. Clever case.
the_coycaterpillar_reads's review against another edition
4.0
Just when you felt like the Crime Fiction genre was becoming over populated with not much variation or uniqueness to the storyline…BANG. Containment. Vanda Symon hits you straight between the eyes for a killer blow. It was a refreshing change to be transported some idyllic. You know what they say – a change is as good as a rest. Aramoana Beach. Just uttering those words feels tranquil. Set the scene. Golden sands, turquoise seas, glittering horizons, the sun beating down on your chest, the warmth between your toes. Sounds heavenly, doesn’t it? Be prepared to have that dream shattered when a cargo ship blights that landscape. Things get out of control when rational human beings start to loot, start to become violent. Things get out of hand. Oh, but if you try to maintain the law, you get the living crap kicked out of you. Let me introduce to you, Sam Shepherd.
Containment is the building blocks of betrayal and grief. With two deep motivators it is extremely refreshing to have some necessary humour injected into its essence. Sam doesn’t take herself too seriously and I had moments of laughing when I wasn’t sure it was appropriate to do so. The author makes you grapple with the two extremes of devastation and hope.
Sam is a DC with the Dunedin police force. She’s competent, motivated and will do anything to get the job done. She’s a girl after my own heart, she tends to self-sabotage her own life, but the stubbornness is strong in this one. Sometimes all she needs is a good talking to. Brilliant professionally, not so great personally.
The plot was watertight. A body has been discovered off the island, appearances suggests it’s been submerged some time. The body isn’t in good condition and they are going to need some good luck to extract a fingerprint to ID the body. Sam’s ability to rub up her superiors the wrong was as led to this fun excursion. DI Johns is a mean, grumpy old stickler and I’ve found myself growing an ever-increasing distaste of his methods. The troubling relationship was written authentically without forcing the information on the reader.
Containment often felt like a fog descending. The twists kept on creeping up when you least expected it. Little niggles, a finely painted parallel, the author grabs you by the jugular and fights to maintain control. The control the author held over me was immense. A magnet focussed on its target. Try as I may I was never going to put that book down. Containment was an assault on my senses. It was mystifying, and nothing was sugar-coated.
Containment is a lesson in vulnerability and tenacity. Blind alleys to trip you up and a beautiful vista to keep you guessing. Vanda Symon’s prose is to die for!
Thanks to Anne Cater @ Random Things Tours for my spot on the blog tour.
Containment is the building blocks of betrayal and grief. With two deep motivators it is extremely refreshing to have some necessary humour injected into its essence. Sam doesn’t take herself too seriously and I had moments of laughing when I wasn’t sure it was appropriate to do so. The author makes you grapple with the two extremes of devastation and hope.
Sam is a DC with the Dunedin police force. She’s competent, motivated and will do anything to get the job done. She’s a girl after my own heart, she tends to self-sabotage her own life, but the stubbornness is strong in this one. Sometimes all she needs is a good talking to. Brilliant professionally, not so great personally.
The plot was watertight. A body has been discovered off the island, appearances suggests it’s been submerged some time. The body isn’t in good condition and they are going to need some good luck to extract a fingerprint to ID the body. Sam’s ability to rub up her superiors the wrong was as led to this fun excursion. DI Johns is a mean, grumpy old stickler and I’ve found myself growing an ever-increasing distaste of his methods. The troubling relationship was written authentically without forcing the information on the reader.
Containment often felt like a fog descending. The twists kept on creeping up when you least expected it. Little niggles, a finely painted parallel, the author grabs you by the jugular and fights to maintain control. The control the author held over me was immense. A magnet focussed on its target. Try as I may I was never going to put that book down. Containment was an assault on my senses. It was mystifying, and nothing was sugar-coated.
Containment is a lesson in vulnerability and tenacity. Blind alleys to trip you up and a beautiful vista to keep you guessing. Vanda Symon’s prose is to die for!
Thanks to Anne Cater @ Random Things Tours for my spot on the blog tour.
balthazarlawson's review against another edition
3.0
Sam Shephard is spending a bit of time pet sitting when her peaceful Sunday is turned upside down. She is assaulted at the site of a ship that has run aground and the containers that have washed up on the beach are being looted.
This is the start of a rather convoluted story of events that end with the death of a police officer and several questions being left unanswered. Everything seems to be a total coincidence and when so many of these coincidences are linked you realise that they aren't a coincidence. The logic of the investigations seems to have gone missing and people of interest are overlooked. It lacks a certain level of depth a good crime novel needs.
Plus there is all the personal stuff that is going on in Sam's life that is never answered. At times she appears to completely over react to simple things and then we get an angst ridden Sam trying to figure out life. It all felt like padding to stretch out the book, especially as there was no resolution.
Not at enjoyable as the previous book in the series as it seems to loose it's way.
This is the start of a rather convoluted story of events that end with the death of a police officer and several questions being left unanswered. Everything seems to be a total coincidence and when so many of these coincidences are linked you realise that they aren't a coincidence. The logic of the investigations seems to have gone missing and people of interest are overlooked. It lacks a certain level of depth a good crime novel needs.
Plus there is all the personal stuff that is going on in Sam's life that is never answered. At times she appears to completely over react to simple things and then we get an angst ridden Sam trying to figure out life. It all felt like padding to stretch out the book, especially as there was no resolution.
Not at enjoyable as the previous book in the series as it seems to loose it's way.
maplessence's review against another edition
4.0
4.5★
Vanda Symon was having some success in her home country of New Zealand with her crime novels, when she decided she would like to go for her PHD and for this reader she disappeared, although she was doing radio programmes and suchlike.
But Dr Symon has a powerhouse fan in [a:Craig Sisterson|19841226|Craig Sisterson|https://images.gr-assets.com/authors/1589526010p2/19841226.jpg], New Zealand crime fiction's biggest fan (and now an author himself). Sisterson gave the publisher of Orenda Books one of Symon's books and the rest is history. Or at least, a good leg up in Europe!
I'm guessing Symon is or has been editing her books for the European market, as the feisty Detective Constable Sam Shephard is a very Kiwi heroine and my (NZ) copy has a lot of Kiwi expressions - some like crib (holiday cottage) are only used in the South Island. It may be too much for foreign readers.When Symons writes about Port Chalmers and Dunedin (which I do know and love) and Aramoana (which i only know because of the Aramoana Massacre) I feel like I am walking along side Sam.
The looters at the start of the story make me think of the George Floyd riots in the States. (Pure coincidence this read came up now. Because of Lockdown I've had this library book for a couple of months, so I don't think the library would allow me to renew it) The scene setting was great.
Most of the story was too, but still think Symon puts a lot of her own opinions in Sam's mouth. For example,Sam's opinions of Otago student events the Toga Parade and the Undy 500 - cause of more riots) certainly sound like that of an older woman, as do Sam's judgemental remarks on tattoos.
These minor failings - slow the story down, but don't derail it. there is also quite a bit - always - about Sam's personal life. Reminds me of [a:Sue Grafton|9559|Sue Grafton|https://s.gr-assets.com/assets/nophoto/user/f_50x66-6a03a5c12233c941481992b82eea8d23.png] but Symon is a far better writer. However, I still don't like her short chapters and think the story would flow better if the chapter numbers were halved
The ending was balls to the walls excitement! Symon put everything into her writing there. I loved it!
The only Symon I haven't read is her fourth Sam book [bc:Bound|10432924|Bound (Sam Shephard, #4)|Vanda Symon|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1297385134l/10432924._SY75_.jpg|15337404] I''m going to get to this one as soon as possible. For all my carping, Symon is one of the best authors I have found for introducing a kiwi flavour into her work. This was a great book for my personal challenge to read more books by New Zealand writers.
https://wordpress.com/view/carolshessonovel.wordpress.com
Vanda Symon was having some success in her home country of New Zealand with her crime novels, when she decided she would like to go for her PHD and for this reader she disappeared, although she was doing radio programmes and suchlike.
But Dr Symon has a powerhouse fan in [a:Craig Sisterson|19841226|Craig Sisterson|https://images.gr-assets.com/authors/1589526010p2/19841226.jpg], New Zealand crime fiction's biggest fan (and now an author himself). Sisterson gave the publisher of Orenda Books one of Symon's books and the rest is history. Or at least, a good leg up in Europe!
I'm guessing Symon is or has been editing her books for the European market, as the feisty Detective Constable Sam Shephard is a very Kiwi heroine and my (NZ) copy has a lot of Kiwi expressions - some like crib (holiday cottage) are only used in the South Island. It may be too much for foreign readers.When Symons writes about Port Chalmers and Dunedin (which I do know and love) and Aramoana (which i only know because of the Aramoana Massacre) I feel like I am walking along side Sam.
The looters at the start of the story make me think of the George Floyd riots in the States. (Pure coincidence this read came up now. Because of Lockdown I've had this library book for a couple of months, so I don't think the library would allow me to renew it) The scene setting was great.
Most of the story was too, but still think Symon puts a lot of her own opinions in Sam's mouth. For example,Sam's opinions of Otago student events the Toga Parade and the Undy 500 - cause of more riots) certainly sound like that of an older woman, as do Sam's judgemental remarks on tattoos.
These minor failings - slow the story down, but don't derail it. there is also quite a bit - always - about Sam's personal life. Reminds me of [a:Sue Grafton|9559|Sue Grafton|https://s.gr-assets.com/assets/nophoto/user/f_50x66-6a03a5c12233c941481992b82eea8d23.png] but Symon is a far better writer. However, I still don't like her short chapters and think the story would flow better if the chapter numbers were halved
The ending was balls to the walls excitement! Symon put everything into her writing there. I loved it!
The only Symon I haven't read is her fourth Sam book [bc:Bound|10432924|Bound (Sam Shephard, #4)|Vanda Symon|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1297385134l/10432924._SY75_.jpg|15337404] I''m going to get to this one as soon as possible. For all my carping, Symon is one of the best authors I have found for introducing a kiwi flavour into her work. This was a great book for my personal challenge to read more books by New Zealand writers.
https://wordpress.com/view/carolshessonovel.wordpress.com
thebooktrail88's review against another edition
5.0
Visit the locations in Containment
his is really starting to become one of my favourite crime series. Book three and I am totally invested in the characters, plot and of course setting. The setting is particularly crucial to these books as it’s so intrinsically woven into the novel on every level. The crimes, the investigations, the work force of the police, the characters who live in the small town…..all fit perfectly and can I say even complement each other? It’s a very nice mix of all you could want from a cracking crime mystery.
Containment is the title that means so much. The story centres around a container that washes up on a Dunedin beach. That gets violent as looters come to try and scavenge what they can. There is also a bizarre death as a diver is found dead and the trail goes all the way back to that.
The strange state of affairs continues with the discovery of a body that comes ashore. The body is that of a diver but it’s soon apparent that the man was stuffed into the suit after his death. He didn’t die from drowning either. Shephard has a lot on her hands and has been injured after the looting on the beach.
Now, despite all this, you might think that this is another police procedural, a study of a small-town, a New Zealand infused crime thriller. Well, it is all this and more. Sam really is the star of her own show. She’s funny, self-deprecating and does like to beat herself up about things! IT’s her commentary on her own life, what she does day and day out, her background and her sense of humour that makes the books for me, and makes her who she is. Some books narrated by the main character can become inward-looking but not this one!
That’s not to say that the supporting cast is any less appealing. Maggie is her best friend with the voice of reason and she complements her friend Sam well. I think we all wish we had a friend like her!
There’s a lot to like in this book. I have to say that I have never quite ‘enjoyed’ seeing a body recovered from water in a book before. This is a gruesome scene for sure (Try not to be eating when you read it). However, it was the humour and sensitivity attached to it that made me smile. The novel is very visual and very atmospheric so there’s a great sense that you are zooming into scenes when it matters and seeing events with a bird’s eye view the next.
A new favourite author for me. The language of Containment and the skill of the author captures the setting of Dunedin and the Aramoana coast perfectly. It’s definitely on the BookTrail radar to go there for real!
thebooktrail88's review against another edition
5.0
Visit the locations in Containment
his is really starting to become one of my favourite crime series. Book three and I am totally invested in the characters, plot and of course setting. The setting is particularly crucial to these books as it’s so intrinsically woven into the novel on every level. The crimes, the investigations, the work force of the police, the characters who live in the small town…..all fit perfectly and can I say even complement each other? It’s a very nice mix of all you could want from a cracking crime mystery.
Containment is the title that means so much. The story centres around a container that washes up on a Dunedin beach. That gets violent as looters come to try and scavenge what they can. There is also a bizarre death as a diver is found dead and the trail goes all the way back to that.
The strange state of affairs continues with the discovery of a body that comes ashore. The body is that of a diver but it’s soon apparent that the man was stuffed into the suit after his death. He didn’t die from drowning either. Shephard has a lot on her hands and has been injured after the looting on the beach.
Now, despite all this, you might think that this is another police procedural, a study of a small-town, a New Zealand infused crime thriller. Well, it is all this and more. Sam really is the star of her own show. She’s funny, self-deprecating and does like to beat herself up about things! IT’s her commentary on her own life, what she does day and day out, her background and her sense of humour that makes the books for me, and makes her who she is. Some books narrated by the main character can become inward-looking but not this one!
That’s not to say that the supporting cast is any less appealing. Maggie is her best friend with the voice of reason and she complements her friend Sam well. I think we all wish we had a friend like her!
There’s a lot to like in this book. I have to say that I have never quite ‘enjoyed’ seeing a body recovered from water in a book before. This is a gruesome scene for sure (Try not to be eating when you read it). However, it was the humour and sensitivity attached to it that made me smile. The novel is very visual and very atmospheric so there’s a great sense that you are zooming into scenes when it matters and seeing events with a bird’s eye view the next.
A new favourite author for me. The language of Containment and the skill of the author captures the setting of Dunedin and the Aramoana coast perfectly. It’s definitely on the BookTrail radar to go there for real!
toofondofbooks's review against another edition
5.0
I loved the first two books in this series so have been eagerly anticipating this next book and I’m so happy to say that I loved Containment every bit as much, if not even more, than the previous two. I adore Sam Shephard, she’s now one of my most favourite characters ever and I love spending time with her and finding out what she’s up to!
Containment is a brilliant crime novel. Sam finds herself in the midst of having to police looting on a beach after a cargo ship runs aground and containers are washed ashore. This leads to her being assaulted and then soon after finding herself investigating what happened to a man found dead in the water. This is only the start of the story though!
Alongside her work Sam is trying to figure out her love life and I found Sam so relatable. She’s involved with a man who really likes her and she likes him but still she just can’t quite commit. She’s not sure, and she’s not sure why she’s not sure. At times I wanted to shake her and tell her to give him a chance but at the same time I could totally see why she was reluctant. I also love Sam’s friendship with Maggie, they’re so close and Maggie can be brutally honest with Sam but she loves her regardless of whether she agrees with her not. It makes me wish I had a Maggie in my life!
There is a character in this book who has obvious physical disabilities and I loved his scenes with Sam. We live in a very politically correct world but people who aren’t disabled don’t always take account of how disabled people see themselves or how they’re happy to be seen by others. I found him, and how he was written, so refreshing and so brilliant. Bravo to Vanda for this!
I love Vanda Symon’s writing – she captures people in such a believable and real way. Whilst Sam is high as a kite on pain meds there are some scenes that had me properly laughing out loud, yet it never takes away from the seriousness of what is happening. I adore writing that captures life like this.
The setting of Vanda Symon’s novels are so brilliantly described too. She brings Dunedin, and in this novel Aramoana to life for me. I’ve never been to New Zealand but I can envisage the places so clearly, Vanda’s writing makes a movie in my head and now I feel like I’ve been there!
Containment is a brilliant crime novel – it has darkness and humour, brilliant characters and fabulous writing! I highly recommend this book (and the whole series)!
This review was originally posted on my blog https://rathertoofondofbooks.com
Containment is a brilliant crime novel. Sam finds herself in the midst of having to police looting on a beach after a cargo ship runs aground and containers are washed ashore. This leads to her being assaulted and then soon after finding herself investigating what happened to a man found dead in the water. This is only the start of the story though!
Alongside her work Sam is trying to figure out her love life and I found Sam so relatable. She’s involved with a man who really likes her and she likes him but still she just can’t quite commit. She’s not sure, and she’s not sure why she’s not sure. At times I wanted to shake her and tell her to give him a chance but at the same time I could totally see why she was reluctant. I also love Sam’s friendship with Maggie, they’re so close and Maggie can be brutally honest with Sam but she loves her regardless of whether she agrees with her not. It makes me wish I had a Maggie in my life!
There is a character in this book who has obvious physical disabilities and I loved his scenes with Sam. We live in a very politically correct world but people who aren’t disabled don’t always take account of how disabled people see themselves or how they’re happy to be seen by others. I found him, and how he was written, so refreshing and so brilliant. Bravo to Vanda for this!
I love Vanda Symon’s writing – she captures people in such a believable and real way. Whilst Sam is high as a kite on pain meds there are some scenes that had me properly laughing out loud, yet it never takes away from the seriousness of what is happening. I adore writing that captures life like this.
The setting of Vanda Symon’s novels are so brilliantly described too. She brings Dunedin, and in this novel Aramoana to life for me. I’ve never been to New Zealand but I can envisage the places so clearly, Vanda’s writing makes a movie in my head and now I feel like I’ve been there!
Containment is a brilliant crime novel – it has darkness and humour, brilliant characters and fabulous writing! I highly recommend this book (and the whole series)!
This review was originally posted on my blog https://rathertoofondofbooks.com