This book had some interesting characters but overall I found it a little bland. One minute the plot would be slow going then would speed up for a bit before slowing back down. it was annoying and really detracted from the story. Since this is the start of the series, more attention seems to be spent back building the world instead of character developement.

Thank you NetGalley for this ARC. There will be spoilers.

A solid police procedural. The pace of the story changes frequently - it starts slowly, which I think really showcased MacNeice's detecting methods. He quietly takes in the scene of the crime, the sights, sounds and smells. The author reveals a lot about MacNeice in the first few chapters; for me this meant I was right at home in his pocket as he goes about investigating. As the story unfolds, various characters are pulled into the fold - his fellow detectives, the medical examiner - although some with smaller roles than others, I felt like I could see the author put all the pieces on a board, ready to be built (into I hope many books!!).

What I did not like about this story was the crime / mystery itself. It started out beautifully - a tragic end to a young violinist's life, her hand upon the record player .... her brain erased by acid injected into the ear. There was something about the death that was so refined. It continues, the father a dealer in rare books and documents (I admit, since I am a librarian, I got so excited at this point!!) ... then the let down. I typically like juxtaposition between scenes (so the refined death scene and the gritty scene at the marina); however I could not connect them in this case. That the death turned out to be about the brother getting the formula from the father to create biological weapons (so long to get there!) in a war between Romania and Bulgaria was .. anticlimactic and for me jarred with the death. It felt too weird - plus, throw in a bunch of other tensions, and I had the feeling I was an inch away from the kitchen sink. Then the suicide of the professional who orchestrated such a refined death - it just felt too twilight zone to me.

That being said - that I was unhappy with the crime / mystery had little effect - I still enjoyed the book and would highly recommend it. I am also looking forward to reading his next one - and from what I can tell, there are currently 3 others I can read.

MacNeice is a senior police detective in the city of Dundurn, a fictional city in Southern Ontario. While returning one evening from visiting his wife’s grave, he is called to a crime scene. A beautiful young woman who has just graduated from Conservatory, is found dead in a luxurious lake cottage. The crime scene is pristine and the girl has no identification with her. MacNeice and his team have their work cut out for them finding a suspect and a motive. When they find out the girl’s father is a former Romanian microbiologist and investigation turns international and gets really messy.

This is a great beginning to a new series. MacNeice is a top-notch detective with a definite soft-spot. The death of his wife has left him a bit of an emotional mess and I think the author did a really good job of portraying that aspect of him. He has a couple of great characters on his team, Aziz and Verestri, who all work together brilliantly and offset each other’s strengths and weaknesses. I found the storyline fascinating. The manner of death in particular got my attention because of its uniqueness, and I just couldn’t stop until I knew how this had come about and who was responsible. The international intrigue that is brought in through the Romanian connection really amped up the drama of the story. There are fistfights and gunfights and car chases for those who like thrills with their mysteries. I would definitely recommend this book for mystery and thrill lovers.

This is a really good police procedural set in Canada. MacNeice leads an interesting team of detectives all with their own quirks. This is a smart book and MacNeice is a complex man of many talents, he recently lost his wife and seems to be grieving but you see hints of him starting to move on.

The characters are well developed and you really start to get a feel for them before the end of the book. The mystery is disturbing but not too graphic or gory and most of the action centers around the actual police work in trying to solve the case. There is a big emphasis on team work and not just one great cop getting all the glory. Each one has their moment to shine.

I believe this is the first of a new series and can't wait to see where the author takes this.

My honest thought as I finished this book? Thank goodness I got my hands on it before relations between the United States and Canada started to go you-know-where in a handbasket. That's because, I'm delighted to report, I've found a new series to love.

Well, sort of new; apparently, it was first published in 2011, so I'm not sure why it hasn't made it across the border till now. I am quite certain, though, that I want to read more about "Mac" MacNeice (oddly, I don't recall seeing a first name), a senior police detective in the fictitious Dundurn, Ontario. Apparently, there are three more books to be released between now and November, so there's plenty to look forward to.

I really love MacNeice, who is still grieving the loss of his beloved wife. Oh, there are hints of a possible personal connection with his co-worker Fiza Aziz - herself an interesting person in that she's a Muslim with a doctoral degree - but nothing serious developed by the end of this book. Is it a thriller? Not really; I'd characterize it as a basic police procedural (albeit with a unique method of murder), and for the record, that's my favorite kind of book.

As he returns from visiting his wife's grave, MacNeice gets a call to a murder that took place in a remote beach house. For more than one reason the woman can't be readily identified, but a bruise under her chin tells MacNeice that she was a violinist - as was his late wife. The rather horrific way she was killed doesn't help much in the clue department, so the motive remains a mystery as well.

But with input from the unusually perceptive MacNeice and investigative work by Fiza and other very capable (and likable) co-workers, the woman is finally identified; she'd recently graduated from a conservatory and apparently was headed toward a career as a professional musician. She had a wealthy businessman for a father, giving rise to the possibility that her murder may have been intended as some kind of message to him. But then, another body turns up - and connections between the two murders begin to take shape, as does the investigation itself. As much as anything, I enjoyed the character development and interactions; there are a few plot twists and life-threatening situations that keep the intrigue going, but at the same time I finished the book with a full set of intact fingernails.

In short, this was a joy to read (and thanks to the publisher, via NetGalley, for the opportunity to read and review an advance copy). Now if I could just get my hands on the next one, hint, hint...

I received a copy of this book from NetGalley to read in exchange for a fair review. Erasing Memory is the first book in Scott Thornley’s MacNeice Mystery series. There are two other book in the series now and I think a fourth one is coming out soon. I should also mention I own the book both as an actual book and the ebook (2) plus I’ve given it as a gift. I really like this book. Detective Superintendent MacNeice is a complex and fascinating character and so is the mystery that he is trying to solve. This book will keep you up reading long past your bedtime with all the twists and turns. Fantastic book in a wonderful series. #ErasingMemory #NetGalley

A beautiful young girl is found dead and looks completely untouched......except for a small, plugged hole inside of her ear. Someone with a message to send has developed a method for injecting acid directly into the brain. By the time the coroner has a look, the young woman is disintegrating from the inside out. The grieving Detective Superintendent MacNeice, whose wife passed of cancer and whose grave he faithfully visits, gets the call. What follows is intrigue on an international level and long-ago allies now trying to seek revenge. With bodies piling up and a trio of killers who know no limits, MacNeice must find the master-mind behind this horrendous and clever method of death before he disappears. Cleverly conceived with rich detail of MacNeice's surroundings and the depth of his loss. I look forward to the next installment!

This was a wonderful example of a "who done it" mystery. Although the minute the perpetrator was introduced I knew who it was. Don't worry, I do not read too many mysteries that I don't figure out who the perpetrator is before the author tells you. The complexities and descriptions that Scott Thornley provides proves to be a compelling & hard to put down book. This book kept me up well into the night reading and enjoying it.

If you like mysteries with a touch of side plots then I recommend this book highly.

Erasing Memory is precisely the sort of mystery/thriller I enjoy. It isn’t excessively gory but neither is it saccharine or cozy. It is clearly the first in a series because the author follows not just the murder but the police involved in the solving the murder—something else I enjoy. What I really enjoyed is that the book is set in Canada, my favorite crime series are usually set in California but I’m always excited when authors begin series set in unfamiliar areas (to me) because the best ones explore the murders as a peak into the heart of a region and the dysfunctions that lead to crime that allows the reader to gaze into a world they are told not to look at.
The story itself, without spoilers if I can help it, revolves around a particularly bizarre murder of a young woman in a secluded location. As the detectives look deeper into her life the story takes on a broader perspective and it is easy to lose yourself in the broader story. Which is to say, the murder itself is simple but it doesn’t get the Poirot treatment wherein the story meanders and concludes in an absurd way. Erasing Memory reminds me of the Easy Rawlins series in that the murder isn’t a grand mystery to be solved by little grey cells but rather starts us on a journey and meanders on the way but concludes in a way that feels natural.
Being the first in a series it suffers from the usual hiccups related to needing to introduce the reader to an entirely new world but I thought the author did an excellent job of weaving in enough details of the world into the fabric of the murder such that it feels natural and not overworked. I’m excited to read more in this series and recommend this highly to fans of mystery series who like an immersive world rather than being stumped by a whodunit.

As I finished this book I tried to imagine how it came to be what it is. I have decided that Mr. Thornley first thought of the weird murder scene and method. As he began plotting this crime, one that grows more horrific as we read, he finds he needs a grotesque murderer with a grotesque motive in order to match the power of this grotesque murder.

I am not sure he entirely succeeds, but in the process he creates Mac MacNeice who is a masterpiece of a detective. For giving us MacNeice, I can overlook a plot that goes way over the top.

In my mind the book would have been much much better if the plot were entirely domestic. Hermetic. One thatdid not involve sinister international intrigue. But never mind. This story will do very well, thank you.

I received a review copy of "Erasing Memory: A MacNeice Mystery (#1) by Scott Thornley (Spiderline) through NetGalley.com. The book was first published in 2011 by Vintage Canada.

Good book, great characters I enjoyed their quirks. A good police procedural book. There was nothing that stood out other than the characters from ant other who did it books, Who did it was no surprise.

This is the first book in the MacNeice crime series. The series was originally released several years ago, but it is being released under a new imprint to reach a different audience. This is a promising police procedurals that kept my interest throughout. The prologue is mysterious and dark, catching your attention just enough to send your mind racing. From there it is a quick read as you frantically turn the pages to see what happens next.

Detective Superintendent MacNeice has developed a monthly routine of visiting his wife's grave, a ritual he has carried out for the past three years. On returning from this particular pilgrimage, he receives a call about a fresh body. This case is bizarre and complex, from the theatrical presentation of the crime scene to the unusual cause of death. MacNeice's interest is peaked and he is soon on the hunt for the killer.

MacNeice reminds me a lot of Harry Bosch. His attention to detail and ability to piece the puzzle together is outstanding. MacNeice is also aided by a young but gifted team that looks up to him and strives to pattern their work according to his standards. The entire team works well together, showcasing a great example of police procedures. The conclusion is somewhat predictable but satisfying nonetheless.

I would recommend this book to fans of thrillers and suspense. I received this as a free ARC from House of Anansi Press Inc., Spiderline on NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

I really like MacNeice but the plot is a little too far fetched for me. I enjoyed the authors writing style but couldn’t get past the apparent motive.
I’m just torn with this one.

I really enjoyed this police procedural/crime type drama. It takes place in Canada, & kind of reminds me of a British police procedural....maybe somewhat like P.D. James' Adam Dalgliesh series (which was excellent!). It revolves around a likeable group/team of Detectives that seem to work together well....& it'll be interesting to see how they develop as the series progresses. The book read really fast, the story compelling & keeps your interest.....I hated to put it down! I'll definitely be watching for the next installments of this series & will definitely recognize Scott Thornley's name!
I received this e-galley from NetGalley...simply in exchange for my own fair/honest review. All opinions are my own.