2007-02-22 Water a Way to Start

'The Water Clock' is a great debut novel from Jim Kelly and hints that he could go on to become one of the best crime writers in the UK. The book has a very English feel to it, but harnesses the impact of American crime fiction. Unlike many recent crime books Kelly actually has you guessing who did it till the very end.

Dryden is a journalist who has burnt out after spending too long on Fleet Street. He now works for a local paper on the Fens and looks after his wife who has been in a coma for two years after a car accident. Dryden's sleepy lifestyle is shaken when a car containing a body is found submerged in a remote lake. Is it a coincidence that another body is found a day later, one that has been sitting on top of a church roof for 30 years? Dryden must risk his life, and that of his helpless wife, to uncover the truth.

The story is a compelling one and is very well written with the right level of character development and mystery. Kelly is able to keep the story going by giving you hints throughout the book to who may be behind the murder, but never gives it away. The character of Dryden is very good as he is flawed but likeable, I look forward to reading more mysteries containing him and his silent cabbie mate Humph. The only minor flaw I could see was that some parts of the books were a little confusing as Kelly jumps from the past to the present. If he can tidy up his story structure he could challenge for top author in the UK.