Square of Revenge by Pieter Aspe

Category: 50 Books

squareofrevengeThis is the first book in the Inspector Van In series.

This was a solid mystery with really good characters. Van In is great, he’s the older, drinkier detective, and his partner, Versavel, is the younger, less angry detective. This book also introduces the new deputy prosecutor, Hannelore Maartens. I enjoyed the characters and their relationships. Obviously the relationships are more developed in the second book, The Midas Murders.

The mystery was great. The very wealthy and powerful Degroof family is being targeted. Crimes are being committed against them, but since the father is all Major Political Guy, he’s trying to keep the whole thing hush-hush. So we get the tension of Van In being told to not investigate the crimes, but of course, he must. The revenge crimes are great. The first one, which takes place at the family’s jewelry store is what really piqued my interest because it is so conniving.

The reader is told who is committing the crimes, the mystery then, is the why. Why is this family being tormented? I enjoyed that format change from the usual whodunit of procedurals.

Great mystery, great characters, and I’m really enjoying where the series is going. If you like procedurals and Eurocrime, I recommend this one.

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