Safe House Thriller - Intense Action for Movie Nights

Chris Ewan places highly with his new mystery Safe House, which utilizes the Isle of Man's famous Tourist Trophy heritage. Rob is a heating tradesman who just wants to joyride with the new blonde he meets at his latest assignment. But an accident foils this love connection. From the moment the pair is separated mysteriously by paramedics, Rob's life will be anything but mundane.Questions begin to stack up, keeping pace with the bodily injuries. What became of that blonde, whom no one else saw? Why are the local police so vehemently opposed to investigate not just this accident, but also the recent death of Rob's sister Laura? If his parents were satisfied that Laura's death was actually a suicide, then why do they hire private investigator Rebecca to look into the matter? Why does Rebecca think Rob's bike accident was not just a blow-out? As Rob and Rebecca find perilous answers that lead to more dire questions, the most worrying question will prove the most deadly: could Rob's accident and the missing girl both be related to Laura's death?Frankly, although I was drawn to this mystery because of its venue, I debated tossing the book a few times. I was hampered by two aspects of Chris Ewan's writing. After an intriguing into, the pace flags considerably until the latter third of the book. Also, and most irksome to me, is Ewan's frequent switching from first person to third person. Usually, when a book uses the first person, a tacit agreement exists whereby the reader comes to know things solely via the narrator, and such a book tends to remain in first person for the duration. But having finished the book, and enjoying it overall, I think I better understand why Ewan uses both first and third person to make the story work the way it does. It still feels like an improper use of language to me, yet the last third of the book redeems itself with good action and tight, satisfying resolutions.I recommend this slightly intricate mystery that involves common folk on a most uncommon isle. For me, it had a 5-star finish to a 3-star start.