Review: The Sideman by Caro Ramsay

Crime fiction is a relatively new genre that I've been reading over the past couple of years, and The Sideman is one of the most complex, detailed, and page-turning examples I've read.

This is the latest in Ramsay's Anderson and Costello series, and I enjoyed it so much I really want to read the back catalogue.

Note: if you read this book, I encourage you to pay attention to the character list at the beginning. I skimmed it but later found I needed to refer to it several times so I could keep track!

The novel begins with an explosive, controversial resignation letter from Costello. She was appalled at the handling of a case that led to the murder of a young boy and his mother and thinks the police wanted too much to believe in George, the husband, to investigate him properly. He has a rock solid alibi but Costello has a hunch that there was more to it, and presumably wants to leave the force so she can investigate vigilante style.

The following 300+ pages has everything you want from a good crime novel. Crosses and double crosses; mysterious characters turning up out of nowhere but who become essential to the story; and an extremely satisfying unraveling and reveal at the end.

Each character is given a good backstory, even the secondary ones. It would be too easy to make characters in a crime novel simply there to serve the plot, sticking out like a giant neon sign, but Ramsay incorporates everyone she needs to in a way that is authentic and serving the plot while not sacrificing characters for the sake of it.

I read this book in about three days - quite a feat considering I have a four year old and a baby (it did involve a couple late nights!). It is the kind of novel that a reader can be occupied by for hours.