Vanda Symon – Bound

‘Bound’ by Vanda Symon is the fourth book in the Sam Shepard series which is set in Dunedin, the second-largest city in New Zealand. Bound is described as ‘a taut, atmospheric and compelling police procedural’, well I find it so much more. I feel Vanda Symon was just warming up with the three previous books.

The book begins as it means to go on with the first few pages showing us the most brutal crime that seems to be easily connected to the shady criminal underworld. Sam feels that there is something else and has her doubts about the way the investigation is heading. Sam, being her usual feisty self decides to voice these doubts, as you can imagine she is now on the one-way road to a collision with DI Johns mainly, her bullheaded boss. This is never a shock or surprise as Sam and her boss have clashed numerous times and this relationship just never gets any better.

As the story unfolds it becomes clear that Vanda Symons is not for giving Sam a break through this series. Not only has she got a fight on her hands with DI Johns and the team but she has plenty of her own stuff to deal with. Her dad is in a Hospice with his life slowly ebbing away and her mum, well, they haven’t got on ever. This alone is killing Sam inside, all I wanted to do was hug her.

Again Vanda Symon has managed to bring a new chapter for Sam that shows us just how skilful she is at weaving a crime thriller and including everything to ensure it is an edge of your seat read.

Thank you to Orenda Books for the digital copy of this amazing book and to Anne Cater for asking me on the tour.