The Comforts of Home is the ninth book in the Simon Serrailler Mystery series. Since it is the first book I’ve read in this series, it took me awhile to get up to speed with the characters and their backstories. As a result, I felt like this book kept me very busy, with many things to keep track of. Once I was able to sort out the various personalities and their relationships, I began to enjoy the story itself. Ms Hill is a superb writer and I enjoyed her narrations.

However, I have several concerns with this book. First, there are quite a few storylines, including an active arsonist, a mysterious death on a remote island, a cold case concerning the murder of a young woman, as well as several storylines involving Simon’s family. Furthermore, the dialogue is often hard to follow. I usually don’t have too much trouble with this, but The Comforts of Home was a challenge. The dialogue often takes place over several pages without any mention of the speakers.

Finally, I found the ending to be rather flat and unsatisfying. The story seemed to end a little abruptly, with questions left unanswered. As a result, it gave me an unsettled feeling.

Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for providing a copy of this book for review.

Susan Hill's Simon Serrailler series continues with "The Comforts of Home." After Detective Chief Superintendent Serrailler was seriously injured in the line of duty, his doctors try to save his mangled left arm. Subsequently, Simon takes sick leave and visits Taransay--a remote island in Scotland--where he hopes to clear his head, draw (he is an accomplished artist), and enjoy this invigorating and sparsely populated place. "He loved the solitude, the wildness, the constant shifting of clouds and sea and coarse grass…." Simon, who faces physical challenges he never anticipated, is uncertain that he will continue to work for the Lafferton police force.

Meanwhile, Simon's sister, Dr. Cat Deerborn, is considering a job offer that she finds tempting, but she has reservations that prevent her from accepting at once. Another subplot involves Sam, Cat's older son, who is uncertain about his plans for his future. In addition, both Cat and Simon continue to have a strained relationship with their irascible and self-centered father. The author's emphasis is less on crime solving than on how her characters handle hardships and disappointment. Even though Serrailler is not officially on duty, he investigates two cases: One is in Taransay and the other concerns an unexplained disappearance in Lafferton.

Cat’s husband, Chief Constable Kieron Bright, gives Simon the police report concerning the latter inquiry, and asks him to read it thoroughly. Serrailler learns that twenty-five-year-old Kimberley Still vanished five years earlier and was never seen or heard from again. Some believe that Lee Russon, who is already serving life in prison, killed Kimberley, but the convict denies it. Marion Still, Kimberley's heartbroken mother, continues to pressure the police to uncover the truth about her daughter's fate. Susan Hill's story shows how messy and distressing life can be. Grown children often ignore their parents' advice; even the best marriages have rough patches; and while good people suffer, villains do not always pay for their crimes. This book is atmospheric, the dialogue and plot are intense and involving, and the author avoids pat resolutions. This is a realistic, heartbreaking, and involving police procedural that focuses on how troubled men and women deal with loss, uncertainty, conflict, and guilt.

What a wonderful addition to the Serrailer series - the saddest part is how long it will be to read the next one. I like the resolution of his injury as well as his adaptation to his current career. The resolution of the murder on the isle was perhaps a bit too simplistic, but nevertheless was in keeping with his character.

I have read every one of this series, so I am familiar with the quirkiness of the character. Having him lose an arm is quite shocking, but he seemed to adjust in no time. I found that a little difficult to believe, but I guess prostheses have come a long way. The mystery itself was okay, but I did think it strange that Simon doesn't turn in the killer. I like the series and i like Simon, but this was not the best Susan Hill has written.

Given the end of the previous title in the series (The Soul of Discretion), I was relieved to see The Comforts of Home announced. The story begins with Simon Serrailler hospitalized, recovering from a traumatic injury. During his convalescence, he becomes involved in both a current murder case and a cold case. While I found the end of the novel a bit abrupt, the loose ends of the mystery were tied up. Simon himself remains as enigmatic as ever!

I think the thing I love most about this series is that the supporting characters have been fleshed out. over the course of the series, to the extent that I always feel Simon's family is as important to the continuing story line as he is as the main character. I enjoyed seeing a new chapter in his sister Cat's life begin. I only hope the author continues this series for a good many more years.

Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the opportunity to read an advance copy in return for an honest review.

It’s often difficult to accurately review a book that is part of a series when you haven’t read the earlier entries. That is not the case here, for the most part. There are a couple story lines that obviously refer back to an earlier book, but the author does a good job of providing just enough infomration from the prior storyline to make the reader comfortable.

The storylines specific to this book were interesting but somewhat unimaginative. In one, the recuperating DCI investigates a mysterious murder on a remote Scottish island, while his brother-in-law handles a series of arsons back home in Lafferton and his sister contemplates a new direction for her career. Happening alongside these storylines are three more: a mother’s crusade to force the police to re-open the investigation into her daughter’s five-year-old disappearance; the travails of the DCI’s elderly father, who returns to Lafferton from a self-exile to France; and the angsty story of the DCI’s nephew who is trying to decide what to do with his life.

Sound like a lot of stories going on? It is, and that’s my issue with this book. There is way too much going on, and the “mysteries” are tied up too neatly, too quickly, and with little imagination. This is a shame, because the author writes quite well. Her descriptions of the Scottish island are wonderfully evocative, and she handles the DCI’s injury with sensitivity and insight. If I could edit this book, I would completely remove the storylines for Richard, Sam, and Cat and concentrate on the murder of Sandy on Taransay and the intertwined stories of Kimberley Still and the arsons. That would move this book from a 3 to a least a 4, maybe a 5.

Detective Simon Serailler has nearly recovered from his near fatal injury and is eager to get back to work, looking into the disappearance of a young girl, a cold case for the Lafferton police. Digging into the case while adjusting to his sister’s marriage to Chief Constable Kieron Bright, as well as a series of mysterious fires has Seraillier has the detective stretched to the breaking point.