A villa engulfed in flames, a death shrouded in suspicion, and a family ensnared in a web of secrets. Grumpy yet astute DI Russell McCord arrives to untangle the threads of this mystery, and with magazine journalist Amy Thornton they navigate a maze of erratic behavior, ironclad aslibis, and hidden motives.

Traude Ailinger’s “Bright Sparks” is a enjoyably mystery and a good read for anyone who enjoys a well-crafted story.

My thanks to Netgalley for providing me a copy of the book for my unbiased review.

I would like to thank Netgalley and The Book Folks for a review copy of Bright Sparks, the fifth novel in the Edinburgh series featuring DI Russell McCord and journalist Amy Thornton.

A posh house goes up in flames and one of the occupants, Victoria Norval is killed. DI Russell McCord is waiting for evidence before deciding if it was an accident or murder. Journalist Amy Thornton has no doubts that it’s murder. The family is not mourning her death as she had caused trouble in the days before her death and they become McCord’s prime suspects, although Amy has a wider net to cast.

I enjoyed Bright Sparks, which has a lively tone, a dash of humour and an interesting plot. I have not read the previous novels in the series and it doesn’t matter in the slightest as this novel works well as a standalone. In fact it might be a bit of a blessing as I got thoroughly fed up with the bickering between McCord and Amy by the end of the novel as there is simply too much of it. I understand that it supposed to hint at unrequited love, but it just comes across as petty and childish.

The rest of the novel is good. The plot is interesting with all sorts of secrets and criminality being exposed, not least what the rich can get away with. There is a neat irony in the reaction to the fire, another two deaths and an unexpected resolution. What with all these developments and the fireworks between McCord and Amy it’s safe to say that there is never a dull moment.

If Amy and McCord could stop fighting they would be an effective team. The novel is told from both their points of view, highlighting their different approaches to both the investigation and life. He tends to operate on facts and evidence whereas she is more freewheeling and inclined to act on her hunches. Oil and water.

Bright Sparks is an easy, lively way to pass a few hours so I can recommend it.

Entrepreneur Victoria Norval had been displaying increasingly strange behaviour in recent days, and that included falling out with various people in her life, which culminated in the announcement of her imminent decision to seek a divorce. So when her villa in Edinburgh subsequently burnt down the following night, causing Victoria's death, there were any number of reasons to consider the circumstances somewhat suspicious.

Dour scotsman DI Russell McCord is brought in on the case and naturally enough begins with the husband as a suspect. But when, to his secret delight, lively magazine reporter Amy Thornton takes an interest in the investigation, she also brings in a different perspective.

And that's just as well. Because it turns out that Victoria was keeping any number of secrets that could have merited murder. Or at least, accounted for a number of individuals' murderous intentions towards her.

Among the aforementioned complications are a pair of step-children with an axe to grind, a secret affair, and private rivalries. So McCord and Thornton are likely to have their hands full dealing with this one...

This is one of those stories where no one is really innocent, and the duo must separate the criminals from the merely unpleasant. With a light hearted tone to the storytelling, mixed in with some humour and a touch of chemistry, this is a fun read. It gets 3.5 stars.

Excellent as expected.
Having read the previous titles by this author, it was always going to be a ‘must read’.
First class story line and characters.
If you haven’t read any of the titles previously, you are missing out.
Recommend.

Good book! This book had a bit of everything! It had suspense, Action, intrigue, mystery, murder, revenge, a great who done it, great plot twist, and some crazy twists and turns! The storyline was very interesting and kept me glued to my Kindle! I definitely recommend reading this book as it was well worth reading! Thank you Netgalley and the publisher for sharing this book with me!