The Wrong One by Dervla McTiernanMy rating: 3 of 5 stars
I'm beginning to think I'm just not a fan of novellas. I find the rhythm, at least in the suspense genre, to be insufficient for building expectation, working in character development, and throwing in a plot twist. That said, The Wrong One did keep me guessing for a good while, although the culprit is obvious about halfway through the book. The motive doesn't really work, and the strange supernatural suggestion is like an itch that never gets scratched (the "explanation" made it seem like an unnecessary part of the story in the first place).
Simon is, not unlike McTiernan's Cormac Reilly, a rough-and-ready cop, but unlike the Cormac Reilly series, this one takes place in New Jersey (and Connecticut). The setup is fairly conventional -- Simon's best friend died, and he feels a sense of obligation to Clara Coleman and her teenage son (Sebastian), and rushes to help when Clara is wrongfully accused of murder. Aside from the fact that Simon doesn't care much for Seb, as soon as we hear Sebastian in his own voice, he's immediately likeable. A longer novel could have benefitted from more of the backstory and relationship between Simon and his friend (Clara's husband, Will).
A solid performance from Michael Crouch and Neil Hellegers that makes up for some of the plot weaknesses.
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