Shadow Over Edmund Street by Suzanne Frankham

Publisher's Synopsis

Edwina's death is brutal, a swift and silent killer who leaves no clues. Her murder seems unsolvable until a casual comment sends Inspector Alex Cameron and his seasoned team trawling through the dead woman's childhood. Raised in a poverty-scarred part of Auckland, Edwina was a battler. Life revolved around the church and her mundane job unpacking vegetables. Meanwhile, a new generation gentrified her suburb. After winning a gym membership, she lost weight, got a new hairstyle, clothes, job-and made a new friend, Rose. Can Alex Cameron uncover the link in time to save the next victim? And preserve his own reputation? The murky past has left a shadow over Edmund Street.

My Review of Shadow Over Edmund Street by Suzanne Frankham

Shadow Over Edmund Street is a fascinating murder mystery set in Auckland, New Zealand. It’s the debut novel by Suzanne Frankham and introduces Detective Alex Cameron and his team of homicide detectives.

Edwina Biggs was a woman who led a quiet and extremely ordered life. She was an introvert who worked at the local fruit and veg shop, she hadn’t changed her hairstyle since childhood and still lived in the house she grew up in.

All of that had changed over a period of months. She found a new job, joined a gym, updated her hairstyle, learned to drive and even sold the family home and moved into a new house on Edmund Street. She appeared to be a new woman with a changed outlook on life. 

This was all discovered by Detective Alex Cameron during the investigation into her murder. She was found strangled to death in her car next to a park, miles from her home. Even taking the recent transformation into account, her presence at the park at 1am is too out of character to accept.

Alex and his fellow detectives work the case together like a well-drilled team. Although Alex is the lead we quickly find out that each member of the team brings specialist skills to the investigation. They also appear to have the strong bond of co-workers who trust and respect each other, complete with a healthy injection of humour into everything they do. In short order they pick apart Edwina’s life and identify a recent friend, Rose Jones, as a potentially valuable source of information.

And it’s through Rose that Alex works, picking up vital snippets of information that helps to slowly understand Edwina from her early life through to more recent times.

A little bit of patience is required through the early stages of the investigation. This is a classic police procedural crime novel through the first half with a gradual construction of a case that starts with little to no momentum. From there, rest assured, it builds into something far greater than could ever have been imagined. Far more dangerous too.

Through dogged police work based initially on conjecture we find ourselves riding a juggernaut that feels as though is hurtling out of control.

Pleasingly, the book is strengthened by great attention given to the characters and their personal lives, ensuring we are well acquainted with each of them. The depth of the backstories of Alex, Rose, Edwina and another delightfully wrought character, Mr Chan, ensures that we are fully on board with their success.

Just a quick word on Mr Chan. He is one of those bit-part characters who seems to brighten every scene he is involved in and offers a vast array of possible contributions. If there is to be a sequel (and there should be) I hope Mr Chan features again.

Shadow Over Edmund Street is a very enjoyable police procedural with a strong lead character and a very cleverly devised plot. It’s a well-told story that left me well satisfied. It deserved its shortlisted status for both the Ned Kelly Award and the Davitt Award for 2022.