Borderline

One Word Review: Fantastic!Short Review: An excellent addition to this character-driven mystery/detective series set in a fascinating future world. Strongly recommended. If you haven't read [b:Telepath 31300289 Telepath (Hive Mind, #1) Janet Edwards https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1469938072l/31300289.SY75.jpg 51967177], you should. If you have - you'll love this book!Longer Review (avoiding spoilers): This book is so good it is going on my fiercely guarded “favorites” shelf. Janet Edwards does here what she has done in her previous books - creating believable, relatable characters, putting them in awful but fascinating predicaments, keeping the stakes high- yet injecting humour to stop things getting too dark, and adding a seasoning of brilliantly written action scenes while at the same time subtly getting you to question the place of the individual in society.She has done this so well in every book in the series that I was already thinking of her as my favorite living author...but here she turns it up to 11! Really - if you haven't read the previous books - give [b:Telepath 31300289 Telepath (Hive Mind, #1) Janet Edwards https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1469938072l/31300289.SY75.jpg 51967177] a try.There is a central investigation that provides the backbone of the plot - this is intriguing in itself and it goes without saying that the plot thickens nicely as the investigation proceeds. Previous novels have reminded me of Sir Arthur Conan Doyle in the way things are set up carefully and then revealed with a twist. This time I was reminded of Agatha Christie's Poirot stories in some of the characters we meet and especially in how the denouement is presented, a scene I enjoyed immensely.There are many other sub-plots, both personal for Amber, and some very challenging moments for her team. A brilliant part of this series is the careful world-building which feels very much like a deepening mystery - a very carefully handled overarching plot, which Ms Edwards is managing to hint at just enough to get the interest going without detracting from the immediate story. Very well handled and very intriguing! This is becoming more and more a fascinating setting As I've said before - while I really enjoy the detective aspect of the stories, it's the way that Ms Edwards handles characters that keeps bringing me back. The way both Amber and Lucas have to deal with insecurities and trauma is very, very real. The wonderful thing is how they support each other to get through it. These are the sort of well written characters that you want to keep visiting, in fact I put off finishing it because I was enjoying it so much. I just don't want this story to end.Addition after 2nd Reading: Everything I said in my last reading of this fantastic book is still true.I loved the characters, the setting, the mystery and the moments of warm humour.On this second reading I was more aware of broader plot growing in the background. Given the title of the next book I am absolutely on the edge of my seat to see how this is going to play out.After 5th Reading: Five times. Do I recommend this series? Obviously. This is now clearly confirmed as my go to series if I want something to grab me and suck me in. It still does that after five reads.Once more, I really don't want this story to end. I'm missing these characters already.Thank you Ms Edwards.