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    Blood and Belonging: A Ray Robertson Mystery
    Blood and Belonging: A Ray Robertson Mystery
    Blood and Belonging: A Ray Robertson Mystery
    Ebook76 pages1 hour

    Blood and Belonging: A Ray Robertson Mystery

    By Vicki Delany

    4/5

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    About this ebook

    RCMP Sergeant Ray Robertson is in the Turks and Caicos Islands, enjoying two weeks of leave from his job training police in Haiti with the UN. On an early-morning jog along famed Grace Bay Beach he discovers a dead man in the surf. Ray is shocked to recognize the body as that of one of his Haitian police recruits. To his wife's increasing dismay, Ray is compelled to follow the dead man's trail and finds himself plunged into the world of human trafficking and the problems of a tiny country struggling to cope with a desperate wave washing up on its shores.

    This timely story is the third in the Sergeant Ray Robertson series.
    LanguageEnglish
    PublisherOrca Book Publishers
    Release dateApr 11, 2017
    ISBN9781459812864
    Blood and Belonging: A Ray Robertson Mystery
    Author

    Vicki Delany

    Vicki Delany is one of Canada’s most prolific and varied crime writers and a national bestseller in the United States. She has written more than 30 books: from clever cozies to Gothic thrillers, gritty police procedurals to historical fiction and seven novellas in the Rapid Reads line. She writes the Sherlock Holmes Bookshop series, the Year Round Christmas mysteries and under the pen name of Eva Gates, the Lighthouse Library series. Vicki is the past president of Crime Writers of Canada. Her work has been nominated for the Derringer, Bony Blithe, Golden Oak, and Arthur Ellis Awards. She lives in Prince Edward County, Ontario.

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    Reviews for Blood and Belonging

    4/5

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    • 3/5
      The third novel in the rapid reads series finds RCMP sergeant Ray Robertson in the Turks and Caicos Islands on a two-week vacation with his wife. Robertson spots a body bobbing in the surf one morning and when he pulls it to shore finds the victim was stabbed. He recognizes the victim as a young Haitian police officer whose graduation from the police academy he had attended recently. The racial subplot evident in “Blood and Belonging” that marred the first two offerings in this series also present here. The native responding officer believes that the victim fell off a refugee boat from Haiti. When told the victim was murdered, he spat on the ground and responds, “No loss to anyone. … Happens all the time. … Saves us the trouble.” The White Canadian police officer and White Canadian paramedic who responded to the call had to set him straight.Admittedly, the racism in this book is muted when compared to the first two books in the series. Detective John Summerton is depicted as competent and conscientious and the native officers are described as eager to learn, keen to make a difference with a genuine love for their country and a firm dedication to the job. Those attributes were absent in the native police officers and trainees in “Juba Good” and “Haitian Graves.”Unfortunately, Sergeant Robertson turns out to be an indifferent husband. He has been on assignment for three years now with his wife left behind in Canada. This two-week vacation appears to be the most time they have had together during that period, but Robertson preference for investigating the murder instead of spending time with his wife is disappointing. Delany “tells” readers that Robertson loves his wife and values his marriage, but she “shows” readers his lack of commitment. Perhaps the final indignity is that the book just ends. The murderer is never identified and indeed, no one seems to even make an effort to do so. Apparently, Delany just got tired of writing the book and quit.
    • 3/5
      RCMP officer Ray Robertson is enjoying a well-earned vacation on Grand Turk island with his wife. Duty catches up with him when he finds a lifeless body on the beach one morning and realizes he has a connection with the victim.This is an easy short read, good for an afternoon at the beach. The story is well paced, packing just enough social and personal drama mixed up with a little action to grapple the reader.
    • 5/5
      When I received my copy of this book I discovered that this is the third in a series about the detective. I decided since the books were not short (I have received other Rapid Reads books)that I would start at the beginning. Not all of the Rapid Reads are thatwell written but this was by far the best series I have read from this publisher. Ms. Delany writes wonderfully, it's a brief book buta very interesting mystery and the main Gumshoe is not obnoxious or overly macho. The other part that is so interesting about thisseries is that it introduces us to parts of the world that we may not be as familiar with. The first book in the series takes place in theSouth Sudan, and it is fascinating the way the author introduces us to the very corrupt and very depressed culture there. The secondbook takes place in Haiti and again we learn about the ways the police force operates there, the corruption and the terrible poverty ofthe local people who have had to deal with a terrible earth quake. The third book, and the one I was sent to review for this site, dealswith a series of islands that are supposed to be akin to paradise. Again the mystery is connected to a social catastrophe-the illegalsmuggling of foreigners trying to get to North America. The conditions that these people endure are harrowing, there is a scenewhere an entire boat load of refugees drown, and again I learned a great deal about the problems and the history of the area.Vicki Delany is a wonderful, sensitive writer and I definitely look forward to checking out more of her work. I also hope she continueswith this series because I found her writing clear and the plot completely engaging.
    • 4/5
      A quick read for mystery lovers. Pretty intense theme of human trafficking along with the central character's pull between duty and marriage. Personally, I think both could have profited from greater expansion, but of course that would have entailed a longer read. It serves as a little red flag waving about a huge problem in the world that too many of us ignore. Rapid read... but not simplistic.
    • 5/5
      Received thru LT Early Re. Third book of hers I've read and enjoyed it as much as the other 2. These are short stories, but always entertaining. Would definitely recommend.
    • 4/5
      I enjoyed reading this book. It is a quick read but has a good story line and plot. I would like to read more in this series.
    • 3/5
      This book was given to me courtesy of the LibraryThing Early Reviewer program in return for an honest review.This is a mystery about a timely topic - human smuggling and the problems of the local people who work behind the scenes at resorts in a Caribbean paradise. Blood and Belonging, published by Orca Book Publishers, is a "Rapid Reads" book, my first. The story is short with little descriptive filling, yet it touched all the bases as a good story should. It was a pleasant way to spend an evening.
    • 4/5
      [Blood and Belonging] by Canadian author [[Vicki Delany]] is the third in the Ray Robertson Mystery series which I received it through Early Reviewers. Ray is a member of the Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) stationed in Haiti to assist in training and mentoring at the Haitian Police Academy.. While on holiday in the Turks and Caicos Islands, with his wife, he finds a body on the beach when he is out jogging. This involves him in the refugees from Haiti who are landed in the Turks and Caicos instead of there expected destination, the United States. I[Blood and Belonging] is part of the Rapid Read series published for ESL students, reluctant readers and people with literacy problems. This series offers short reads that would be of interest to adults. Based on my experience as an ESL tutor and the titles I have read in this series Rapid Reads meets its goal. This book is a good, quick read that meets the Rapid Read goals and would also interest anyone looking for a short mystery. I recommend it.⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️An Early Reviewers book.
    • 3/5
      I received this book through a librarything Early Reviewer giveaway. I enjoyed this book. It was a nice quick read and very fun. Although it is only 109 pages, it pulls you into the story from the beginning and keeps you interested. The storyline is simple, yet never boring. As a Canadian, I was happy to see references to my home land! The ending was a bit abrupt, but all in all great book for lunchtime at work or a bus ride.
    • 4/5
      I received a copy of "Blood and Belonging: A Ray Robertson Mystery" as an Early Reviewer.At first, since I hadn't read a novella since "Animal Farm" and "Heart of Darkness" in the early '60's, I was unsure as to what kind of book I was dealing with when I picked up this tiny 109 page book. I soon realized it was brief because it was written as 1) a novella, and 2) as a "Rapid Reads" book, intended to be "quick, engaging stories for people on the go". The publisher, Orca Books, describes Rapid Reads as "Perfect for ESL, adults who struggle with literacy and anyone who wants an (sic) high-interest quick read."Keeping the definition of what a "Rapid Reads" book is intended to achieve I have to declare it a success. I read it in less than an hour, so it was, in fact, quick. Designed for ESL and adults who struggle with literacy, it is written on 6th grade or lower level. The story line was interesting, if not 'high-interest'. However, there was no denouement which left me wondering whether it was written with a sequel in mind. "Blood and Belonging" is meant for a niche audience. If you, as a reader, are not within that intended scope you probably will not be interested in this type of book. Only because It achieves what narrow range it was designed to accomplish, I have rated it with four stars.

    Book preview

    Blood and Belonging - Vicki Delany

    MYSTERY

    ONE

    Waves lapped against pale sand. The breeze was soft and heavy with salt. Water filled the imprint of my shoes and soon erased them. In seconds, no sign that I had been here would remain.

    My legs ached, but it was a good ache. My breathing was heavy, but clean air filled my lungs. I slowed to let my heart rate return to normal. Once I could have run forever, but I am not a young man anymore. Age is creeping into my joints whether I want it to or not. These days I run as much for the solitude as the exercise.

    I’d left Jenny, my wife, sleeping and crept out of our room without turning on any lights. The promise of a new day had been no more than a gray smudge in the sky to the east. I walked through the quiet hotel grounds. Staff heading for an early shift wiped sleep from their eyes and smothered yawns. Otherwise, only the birds were up. I had the gorgeous beach to myself. I hit the beach and ran for half an hour while the sun rose in a blaze of pink and yellow. Now some other early risers were joining me.

    The Caribbean. The Turks and Caicos Islands. Providenciales Island. Grace Bay, which is, according to many, the world’s best beach. You’ll get no argument from me on that. Miles of white sand, gentle turquoise waves breaking on the shore. Small birds with long legs ran through the surf. Gulls and pelicans swooped low over the water or sat on the gentle swell. Farther out, deep blue water turned into white breakers as waves broke on the reef.

    I did a few stretches, ready to turn around and head back to the hotel. I thought about breakfast. Coffee and fried eggs and a mound of bacon. Piles of toast with butter and strawberry jam. Fresh tropical fruit.

    I felt myself grinning. Never mind breakfast. I might be lucky enough to find Jenny still in bed.

    As I turned, enjoying that happy thought, something in the water caught my eye. About twenty feet out, large and black, floating on the waves. Much too big to be a bird. A shark maybe? Small, usually harmless nurse sharks came over the reef sometimes. When that happened, the tourists either ran screaming in fear or waded into the water to take pictures.

    No, this wasn’t a shark.

    I squinted as I tried to see better. My eyes aren’t quite what they used to be either. Gradually the shape came into focus. It looked like a person. A man, most likely. He was face down in the water and not moving. He was fully dressed. I glanced up and down the beach. No one else was around. I bent over and untied the laces of my running shoes. I kicked the shoes off, took my phone out of its armband and placed it in one of the shoes.

    Then I waded into the warm, salty water. As I got closer I could see that it was a man, all right. Before I reached him, I knew he was dead. No one would be lying in that position, face in the water, not moving, for fun. I braced myself to see something bad. The sea is not kind to bodies, human or otherwise. But I’ve seen a lot of dead bodies, some of them about as bad as it gets. I could handle this one. I still have a hard time when it’s little kids, but even a quick glance showed me this was no kid. He had to be at least the size of me, and I’m a big guy.

    He was a black man, dressed in jeans and a gray T-shirt. He wore only one running shoe. The other must have come off in the waves. His hair was cut very short. The back of his neck was wide. His biceps were thick with ropy muscle. He was only a few feet out. I stood beside him, my feet on the sandy bottom, water as high as my chest. Small fish darted around me, flashes of silver in the shallow, sunny water. I took a deep breath and flipped the man over. I let out a sigh of relief. He hadn’t been in the water for long. His eyes were a bit of a mess, but everything else looked intact. I grabbed his right arm and pulled him to shore. He bobbled along after me as if this were some sort of macabre game.

    A small crowd had gathered while I’d been in the water. Brightly colored shorts and bathing suits. Big hats and white skin turning pink. Some of the women took one look at my burden and recoiled in horror. Men blanched, and one turned away, hand over his mouth. A small girl with a deep tan and scraped knees said, Cool. She darted toward me. Her father grabbed her arm and pulled her away, the child protesting loudly.

    We were in front of one of the grandest, most expensive hotels on the island. Staff had begun setting

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