Review: To Track a Traitor

I’ve talked (at length) about how I was very late to the Lane Winslow mysteries and how glad I was to finally pick up the first book in the series, A Killer in King’s Cove, back in 2021. Just, you know, 6 years after it had been published. I’ve caught up on Iona Whishaw’s amazing historical mysteries and was, like many readers, eagerly awaiting the publication of book 10 (!!), To Track a Traitor, which was finally published in April. Was it worth the wait? You bet!

Here’s the book’s description:

It’s an early morning in May when Lane is pulled from a deep sleep by a concerning phone call from Scotland—her grandfather has had a heart attack. Lane hastily makes plans to fly overseas, and a dejected Inspector Darling prepares himself for a stint of bachelorhood. But before he can begin to dwell on it the Nelson Police learn that Ben Arden, a local cad, has gone out for a late-night boat ride and not returned, which immediately sets the town rumour mill churning.
In Scotland Lane finds her grandfather on the mend but her estranged sister Diana caught up in stressful—and mysterious—circumstances of her own. As Lane follows the thread leading from South Africa to Aberdeen to the War Office in London it becomes apparent that her sister is on the run, and that keeping secrets seems to be a Winslow family trait.
Back at the Nelson Police station a strange assemblage of clues begins to amass around the Arden case, stretching from the local printshop all the way back to the Great War. But progress is interrupted when the mayor himself issues a demand that Darling travel to England to tie up a decades-old mystery with local connections. True to form, upon Darling’s arrival in London he is quickly swept up in Lane’s mission, which threatens to endanger the entire family.

Lane’s sister has been a bit of a mystery for the entire series. Lane and Diana clearly don’t have much of a relationship but there were only allusions to why that might be. I really enjoyed getting to know Lane’s family even more in this book, especially as it gave a little more insight into why Lane is the way she is. And, interestingly enough, how some traits clearly run in the family.

I don’t think I particularly liked the stress put on Lane and Darling’s relationship (er, spoiler alert) but I also understand why Whishaw would have included it in the story. They’re still newlyweds and learning how to live with, not only their spouse, but with another person for the first time in many, many years. Both Lane and Darling are older (for the time…I’m pretty sure Lane is only in her late 20s, possibly early 30s) and never really pictured married life for themselves. It’s a huge adjustment. So, while I was sad that one of my favourite fictional couples was facing some relationship problems, it made a lot of sense.

As always, the history and the mystery play equally important roles in the story. It’s part of why I love this series so much, honestly. There are always a few mysteries that require solving and I can never make sense of the clues before Lane and Darling (or Darling’s right-hand man, Ames) have figured out the whole case. I like that I’m kept guessing through the whole book. And I like that I’m learning more about Canadian history while waiting to find out whodunit. This time, Whishaw shared details about both world wars and what it would have been like for various people during that time. Interesting, as always!

As eagerly as I was awaiting To Track a Traitor, I’m now sad that I’ve finished Iona Whishaw’s latest book! I’m going to have to wait so long for the next story in Lane Winslow’s series and waiting is so hard! If you like historical fiction and mysteries, you really must read this series. I guarantee you will not be disappointed.

*An ARC of this novel was provided by the publisher, Touchwood Editions, in exchange for review consideration. All opinions are honest and my own.*