The Mermaid's Cry by Kate Rhodes

The Mermaid’s Cry is an emotional journey, especially if - like me - you have read other books in the DI Kitto series. I can confirm they work well as stand-alones. In each of them, Ben Kitto’s personal life moves into a new phase after he returns to his birthplace on the Scilly Isles. In the ninth episode, Kitto is a recent widower who lost his wife and unborn child in a freak accident. To escape constant reminders of his loss, he moves from the island of Bryher to Penzance with his three year old son Noah and loyal dog Shadow. Having taken a year’s compassionate leave from policing, Kitto is working as a carpenter to fit in with Noah’s play school routine.

When Kitto takes Noah for a late night walk to soothe him to sleep, he witnesses a baby being stolen from her mother and flung into the sea. Kitto succeeds in rescuing the child, but this turns out to be the first in a series of terrifying attempts to drown small children. Sadly, one little boy dies in hospital after being attacked. Mermaid tokens left at the scene of each crime link them to a troubling Cornish folk tale. Kitto’s own grief becomes a backdrop to the terror of parents trying to protect their infants from a maniac’s obsession. A crisis looms as the summer eclipse approaches, bringing with it the annual Dark Skies festival of folklore.

Kate Rhodes writes poetically, which makes it less painful for the reader to engage with dark topics. As well as being an exciting, twisty crime story, The Mermaid’s Cry shows how individuals in the throes of deep grief can be supported by family, friends and a warm, inclusive community.

 I was given a copy of this book in return for an honest review.