Bound by Vanda Symon

The latest novel in the popular Detective Sam Shephard series, Bound, shows Sam under extreme pressure, both professionally and in her personal life. She is in conflict with her boss over her investigation of a horrific murder during a house invasion, which bears the signs of a gangland execution. Tragically, she has to deal with all this work stress while facing the impending death of her father, which is made even more traumatic by a difficult relationship with her mother. Under these trying circumstances, Sam manages to maintain her sense of humour and hold everything together, due to her strict moral compass and strong sense of responsibility.

The passionate young police officer Sam Shephard returns in a taut, atmospheric and compelling police procedural, which sees her take matters into her own hands when the official investigation into the murder of a local businessman fails to add up….

Sam’s passionate personality makes her come across as intense, and she sometimes follows her gut instincts to an extent that negatively affects her career. At times she seems to prioritise her police work over her personal relationships because this helps her to keep control of her emotions. Ironically, she performs best when she stops dashing about and takes time out to think through the turns and twists in the murder investigation. When she eventually breaks the case, it is because she is brave enough to think the unthinkable and have the courage of her convictions.

Symon’s relaxed narrative style segues easily from the dramatic to the intimate, engaging her readers’ sympathy and involving them in her characters’ experiences. Sam’s romantic involvement with a colleague reveals her softer side. When their relationship reaches a level neither of them was prepared for, she has to decide whether she can trust him. At this point, readers will sympathise with her deep internal conflict.

Learning about countries other than your own is one of the great pleasures of reading, and the landscape of New Zealand plays an important part in Bound. Sam has recently relocated to Dunedin on South Island, which gives the novel a coastal feel. Confrontations with suspects in the murder investigation take place in locations ranging from remote beaches to luxurious seafront properties. When Sam’s overbearing boss packs her off on a work trip against her will, she says she is ‘a card-carrying anti-Aucklander.’ However, her description of what sounds like a beautiful city complements the charm of the more rural areas where she lives and works.

Vanda Symon’s novels have been shortlisted for the New Blood Dagger and the Ngaio Marsh Award, and the Sam Shepherd series has been the number one bestseller in New Zealand. Personally, I found it very easy to relate to Sam. I enjoyed empathising with the ups and downs of her family’s journey equally as much as following the twists and turns in the murder investigation.