Review: Equinox by David Towsey
Set in a world where everyone has a dual personality that experiences only the day or the night, Equinox is a mystery set in a fantastical second world. We follow Special Inspector Christophor Morden and his day brother, Alexsander, as they attempt to solve a gruesome matter of witchcraft in a remote town on the borderlands of the kingdom, shortly to be an important site in a war of expansion.
What I loved most in this book (in which I loved most things!) was the world-building. The fantasy elements were more fantastical than I would normally read, but the world building was so complete and detailed that it was fascinating to look in on this other world. In particular, the specifics of two people sharing one body but never speaking or interacting was fascinating — how these people work with marriage, parenthood, shared or unshared occupations, and travel was all thoroughly thought through, but the delivery of these details never felt expositiony.
The mystery was the aspect that first attracted me to Equinox. A petty felon pulls out his own eyes when teeth start to grow in his eye sockets. Right up my street! And the process of investigation and, again, the detail of witchcraft in the world are both interesting to follow. As Alexsander is drawn into the mystery, he and his night brother start to cling to very different suspects, both of whom are plausible.
This brings me to my only complaint, which is the resolution of the mystery. A police procedural or contemporary mystery would provide a neat ending, explaining all the clues the reader might have missed along the way. Equinox doesn’t do this — at all. Following an utterly fantastical final sequence, the reader is left with a resolution, but also with a lot of questions, including the fate of one of the main characters. I personally would have liked more resolution, but it’s possible Equinox will have a sequel which tells us a little more about how things end up in the town of Drekenford.
As an exploration of a second world with an intriguing premise, Equinox works brilliantly and provides a fully rounded world. The mystery is intriguing, and will happily carry the reader through the book. If, however, you’re looking for a complete story with no loose ends, you may find Equinox a little frustrating.
Written with thanks to the publishers and Netgalley.co.uk for a free e-advance review copy.
Equinox by David Towsey is out now, and can be purchased directly from its publisher Head of Zeus in your preferred format.