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readbysloan's review
5.0
I received a copy of The Sleeping Season by Kelly Creighton in exchange for an honest review.
I was immediately drawn to The Sleeping Season for two reasons: one, it’s set in Belfast, Northern Ireland, where I’ve been living for the last 13 years, and two, the main character is Detective Sloane. Okay, Kelly Creighton spelled her name wrong and gave her an extra ‘e,’ but those are the kind of writing mistakes we can overlook. (I’m kidding!)
Set in modern-day East Belfast, The Sleeping Season follows a pair of female detectives, DCI Harriet (Harry) Sloane and her partner as they investigate the disappearance of 4-year-old River Reede.
This book touches on what it means to be a woman in the PSNI (Police Service Northern Ireland), dealing with a heartbreaking past, pregnancy and loss, and, of course, the grief that comes with losing a child.
The Sleeping Season is the first in a series of police procedurals from Kelly Creighton and I’ll definitely be anxiously waiting as each book releases.
I enjoyed The Sleeping Season immensely. From being set in the city I call home to the hard and altogether difficult topics that are brought up, Kelly captured my interest.
I recommend this book to anyone interested in police procedurals, feminist novels, and female protagonists who persevere with a ton of determination in the face of adversity.
Read the full review here: https://geekherring.com/review-the-sleeping-season/
I was immediately drawn to The Sleeping Season for two reasons: one, it’s set in Belfast, Northern Ireland, where I’ve been living for the last 13 years, and two, the main character is Detective Sloane. Okay, Kelly Creighton spelled her name wrong and gave her an extra ‘e,’ but those are the kind of writing mistakes we can overlook. (I’m kidding!)
Set in modern-day East Belfast, The Sleeping Season follows a pair of female detectives, DCI Harriet (Harry) Sloane and her partner as they investigate the disappearance of 4-year-old River Reede.
This book touches on what it means to be a woman in the PSNI (Police Service Northern Ireland), dealing with a heartbreaking past, pregnancy and loss, and, of course, the grief that comes with losing a child.
The Sleeping Season is the first in a series of police procedurals from Kelly Creighton and I’ll definitely be anxiously waiting as each book releases.
I enjoyed The Sleeping Season immensely. From being set in the city I call home to the hard and altogether difficult topics that are brought up, Kelly captured my interest.
I recommend this book to anyone interested in police procedurals, feminist novels, and female protagonists who persevere with a ton of determination in the face of adversity.
Read the full review here: https://geekherring.com/review-the-sleeping-season/
ljwrites85's review
3.0
The Sleeping Season is a beautifully written slow burn story that packs an emotional punch.
I really enjoyed Kelly Creighton’s writing style, it’s vivid and imaginative and I was able to picture things well while I was reading it.
DI Harriet Sloane is an intriguing character. A little prickly and standoffish but as the novel progresses you really get to know her and understand her better.
To be honest, this is billed as a police procedural but it felt more like a drama that the main character happens to be a police officer. I felt like the story focused a little too much on the detective and her life with random memories of her life scattered throughout the story that kind of pulled away from what I thought would be the main narrative .i.e. The missing boy. I’m going to point out these are not bad things but it wasn’t what I was expecting.
I’d recommend this if you like character driven, literary stories that focus more on the human/emotional side of crime fiction.
I really enjoyed Kelly Creighton’s writing style, it’s vivid and imaginative and I was able to picture things well while I was reading it.
DI Harriet Sloane is an intriguing character. A little prickly and standoffish but as the novel progresses you really get to know her and understand her better.
To be honest, this is billed as a police procedural but it felt more like a drama that the main character happens to be a police officer. I felt like the story focused a little too much on the detective and her life with random memories of her life scattered throughout the story that kind of pulled away from what I thought would be the main narrative .i.e. The missing boy. I’m going to point out these are not bad things but it wasn’t what I was expecting.
I’d recommend this if you like character driven, literary stories that focus more on the human/emotional side of crime fiction.
karlou's review
4.0
The Sleeping Season is the first book in Kelly Creighton's DI Sloane series but to describe it as a police procedural would be inaccurate; this is literary crime fiction and is a slow burner of a story which is as much about the main protagonist's life as it is the case she is working on.
That case is the investigation into the disappearance of a four-year-old boy, River who has disappeared from his room despite no evidence of a forced entry - the only clue being that his coat has also vanished. DI Harriet - Harry - Sloane and her partner, DI Diane Linskey initially welcome the opportunity to get out from behind their desks but this proves to be a case which tests both their investigative skills and their emotional resolve to the limit. Set in East Belfast, the sense of community is tempered by the inevitable, almost eager interest that arises in a neighbourhood when a major investigation is centred there. River's mother, Zara appears to have the support of the street but as the novel progresses, it becomes evident that she hasn't always been on the best terms with those around her and indeed her account of her life with her son is frequently unreliable.
This is a story where none of the characters are particularly likeable, but are always interesting and that includes Harry. She is an emotionally distant woman who clearly has a thorny relationship with her own family. The main storyline is interrupted throughout by a meandering, convoluted narrative which slowly reveals more about her past and explains why she seems to struggle to form lasting bonds with those around her. Coming from a fairly large family, what is notably striking is that although several them entered professions which involve working with members of the public, on the whole they don't appear to be warm or nurturing. Harry followed her father into the police force but although she meets him regularly, they seem more comfortable discussing her case that they do confronting their family's issues, particularly regarding Harry's oldest brother, Brooks who is clearly the black sheep of the family. Harry's mother is in a home, the reason is revealed as the book progresses and again gives an insight into why Harry apparently eschews marriage and especially motherhood.
The Sleeping Season offers an unsentimental exploration into the role of women and principally mothers throughout; Harry's traumatic past haunts her dreams and Zara is a strangely complex woman who seems to have been overly controlling of her son's life while also being reticent to always acknowledge his behavioural and health issues. Although their paths have taken them along different routes, there are similarities between Harry and Zara, with neither really living up to society's expectations of what women should be.
River's disappearance is what has brought them together and it proves to be an almost impenetrable mystery where it's never certain if anybody can be trusted and the finger of suspicion could point to any number of people, including the local paedophile, Donald. There aren't really any moments of high tension here or scenes which set my heart racing. Instead this is a gritty, honest look at the darker secrets which people carry with them. It's not always an easy read but there is an almost poetic beauty to the language which meant I couldn't help but be drawn into this poignant, complex novel. This is an accomplished, compelling start to a series - I'm looking forward to reading more.
That case is the investigation into the disappearance of a four-year-old boy, River who has disappeared from his room despite no evidence of a forced entry - the only clue being that his coat has also vanished. DI Harriet - Harry - Sloane and her partner, DI Diane Linskey initially welcome the opportunity to get out from behind their desks but this proves to be a case which tests both their investigative skills and their emotional resolve to the limit. Set in East Belfast, the sense of community is tempered by the inevitable, almost eager interest that arises in a neighbourhood when a major investigation is centred there. River's mother, Zara appears to have the support of the street but as the novel progresses, it becomes evident that she hasn't always been on the best terms with those around her and indeed her account of her life with her son is frequently unreliable.
This is a story where none of the characters are particularly likeable, but are always interesting and that includes Harry. She is an emotionally distant woman who clearly has a thorny relationship with her own family. The main storyline is interrupted throughout by a meandering, convoluted narrative which slowly reveals more about her past and explains why she seems to struggle to form lasting bonds with those around her. Coming from a fairly large family, what is notably striking is that although several them entered professions which involve working with members of the public, on the whole they don't appear to be warm or nurturing. Harry followed her father into the police force but although she meets him regularly, they seem more comfortable discussing her case that they do confronting their family's issues, particularly regarding Harry's oldest brother, Brooks who is clearly the black sheep of the family. Harry's mother is in a home, the reason is revealed as the book progresses and again gives an insight into why Harry apparently eschews marriage and especially motherhood.
The Sleeping Season offers an unsentimental exploration into the role of women and principally mothers throughout; Harry's traumatic past haunts her dreams and Zara is a strangely complex woman who seems to have been overly controlling of her son's life while also being reticent to always acknowledge his behavioural and health issues. Although their paths have taken them along different routes, there are similarities between Harry and Zara, with neither really living up to society's expectations of what women should be.
River's disappearance is what has brought them together and it proves to be an almost impenetrable mystery where it's never certain if anybody can be trusted and the finger of suspicion could point to any number of people, including the local paedophile, Donald. There aren't really any moments of high tension here or scenes which set my heart racing. Instead this is a gritty, honest look at the darker secrets which people carry with them. It's not always an easy read but there is an almost poetic beauty to the language which meant I couldn't help but be drawn into this poignant, complex novel. This is an accomplished, compelling start to a series - I'm looking forward to reading more.
skinnypenguin's review
2.0
Received this from the Goodreads.com Giveaways.
The story was mainly about the disappearance of a young boy and the female detective who is working the case, Detective Harriet Sloane. Det. Sloane has some personal issues and they are discussed in flashbacks and also every few chapters. It made the story seem a bit disjointed to me. It is set in Belfast and is basically a police procedural. The story moved along rather slowly for me and took you off in lots of different directions and there seemed to be bits and pieces that weren't really necessary to the story and not tied up in the end. Never really got to liking any of the characters.
The story was mainly about the disappearance of a young boy and the female detective who is working the case, Detective Harriet Sloane. Det. Sloane has some personal issues and they are discussed in flashbacks and also every few chapters. It made the story seem a bit disjointed to me. It is set in Belfast and is basically a police procedural. The story moved along rather slowly for me and took you off in lots of different directions and there seemed to be bits and pieces that weren't really necessary to the story and not tied up in the end. Never really got to liking any of the characters.
the_coycaterpillar_reads's review
4.0
The Sleeping Season really breathes life into the idiom that you end up taking your work home with you.
This brand-new crime fiction series focuses on the disappearance of a 4-year-old boy, River, who has mysteriously disappeared from his bedroom despite the fact that there is no sign of any forced entry, however, his jacket also appears to be missing. The case is wrought with missing information and hindered by the attitude of an ubiquitous mother. Its apparent this case will test both DI Harriet Sloane and DI Diane Linsky’s skillset. It is an emotionally draining case to work. I was very wary of River’s mum, as a mother, her reactions emitted a reaction of me rolling my eyes.
Amazing…simply amazing. Kelly Creighton knows just how to prepare and ministate each word until they develop a life of their own. They walk straight off the page and grip a hold of you and refuse to let go until it has your full attention!
The Sleeping Season keeps the danger hidden. It is full of misdirection from multiple sides. The author has an uncanny way of making you feel like your being battered by a storm. The frustration and emotion felt by our protagonists was very real and raw and I wanted to scream right alongside them. The Sleeping Season gave me a serious feeling of uneasiness but to an extent where I couldn’t put my finger on what was unsettling me. Kelly Creighton had me fully immersed and invested in the novel – the successful resolution to this case was of the paramount importance to me and I was not putting that book down until I got the answers to my questions.
I found a lot of the characters to particularly unlikeable. They all seemed to be unreliable narrators and that includes DI Harriet Sloane. It emerges that she has a rather difficult relationship with her own family and appears standoffish and cold. This story is one of realisation for her. It opens her eyes to the difficulty and the complexity of families. We discover more about her backstory and it is both a revelation and heart wrenching. It explains so much towards her personal ideals on relationships and marriage and also her hesitation about motherhood.
The Sleeping season is an imperfectly perfect take on societal standpoint on women’s roles and behaviour. A slow-burn that ignites and consumes by the turning of the final page. Captivating and I inhaled this book.
This brand-new crime fiction series focuses on the disappearance of a 4-year-old boy, River, who has mysteriously disappeared from his bedroom despite the fact that there is no sign of any forced entry, however, his jacket also appears to be missing. The case is wrought with missing information and hindered by the attitude of an ubiquitous mother. Its apparent this case will test both DI Harriet Sloane and DI Diane Linsky’s skillset. It is an emotionally draining case to work. I was very wary of River’s mum, as a mother, her reactions emitted a reaction of me rolling my eyes.
Amazing…simply amazing. Kelly Creighton knows just how to prepare and ministate each word until they develop a life of their own. They walk straight off the page and grip a hold of you and refuse to let go until it has your full attention!
The Sleeping Season keeps the danger hidden. It is full of misdirection from multiple sides. The author has an uncanny way of making you feel like your being battered by a storm. The frustration and emotion felt by our protagonists was very real and raw and I wanted to scream right alongside them. The Sleeping Season gave me a serious feeling of uneasiness but to an extent where I couldn’t put my finger on what was unsettling me. Kelly Creighton had me fully immersed and invested in the novel – the successful resolution to this case was of the paramount importance to me and I was not putting that book down until I got the answers to my questions.
I found a lot of the characters to particularly unlikeable. They all seemed to be unreliable narrators and that includes DI Harriet Sloane. It emerges that she has a rather difficult relationship with her own family and appears standoffish and cold. This story is one of realisation for her. It opens her eyes to the difficulty and the complexity of families. We discover more about her backstory and it is both a revelation and heart wrenching. It explains so much towards her personal ideals on relationships and marriage and also her hesitation about motherhood.
The Sleeping season is an imperfectly perfect take on societal standpoint on women’s roles and behaviour. A slow-burn that ignites and consumes by the turning of the final page. Captivating and I inhaled this book.
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