Title: The Redeemer (Shanna Regan Mystery 1) by Victoria Goldman
Date Published: 12th July 2022
Genre: Mystery/Thriller
Description:
'REPENT BEFORE YOU DIE … OR MAY YOU NEVER R.I.P.'
Threatening plaques, vigilante killings, a Jewish community in an English town – what's the link? The clock is ticking to the next murder.
After witnessing a racist incident in a small Hertfordshire town, journalist Shanna Regan uncovers a series of threatening fake historical plaques. Each plaque highlights someone's misdemeanour rather than a good deed.
Delving deeper, Shanna discovers these plaques are linked to vigilante killings spanning several decades, with ties to the local Jewish community.
As her search for the truth becomes personal, Shanna puts her own life in danger. Can she stop the next murder in time?
The Redeemer is a compelling, thought-provoking murder mystery debut, featuring themes of prejudice and racism, heritage and identity, revenge and redemption, and secrets from the past. Victoria Goldman was given an honourable mention for The Redeemer in the Capital Crime/DHH Literary Agency New Voices Award 2019.
Review:
I received a copy of The Redeemer via The Book Club Reviewer Group. All opinions are my own.
The synopsis intrigued me for the Redeemer, so I thought I'd give it a go and I'm very glad I did.
Shanna moved to the small town of Hillsbury, working for a local magazine, after her journalistic career imploded. For a piece for the magazine, she looks into the historical plaques of the town and accidentally stumbles on fake ones. These aren't just any plaques, they highlight someone's misdeeds and wants them to repent. Delving deeper, Shanna finds a vigilante has been at work in the sleepy town but despite many warnings she refuses to leave it alone, putting her life on the line to find the truth.
The Redeemer is a well-written mystery that well and truly had me enthralled from beginning to end.
I loved the use of the plaques in the story. It was a unique twist on the usual revenge/vigilante stories I've read over the years.
It was also nice to read about Jewish culture/religion in such detail, and I learnt a few things along the way.
One of my favourite things is to figure out whodunit before the end of the novel. I had a slight inkling of who it might be, but I ended up being wrong. I love it when a book surprises me!
There are some powerful themes throughout the book, including revenge and prejudices, especially antisemitism. It doesn't pull any punches when it comes to the antisemitic incidents throughout the book and it honestly made me angry that this still goes on to this day in the UK and around the world.
The Redeemer is a strong debut and I'm very much looking forward to reading more stories featuring Shanna Regan.
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