I definitely want to follow this detective series. Dawson is very lovable, his flaws are fully on display as the reader is immersed in his impressive mind for most of the novel. Loved the depictions of daily life in Accra and rural Ghana. I devoured this in one sitting. Quartey's writing is engaging and natural. It helps the story move along quickly without feeling clipped or forced.

Go in informed, Quartey depicts some very real daily trauma in this book. Content warnings are for some heavy scenes.

Rating was lower for me because of the formulaic plot - not a bad thing in itself, just my preferences showing. Like with many formulaic murder mysteries, however, there is so much pain going on that major events and characters undergoing extreme trauma feel glossed over in favor of moving the narrative forward. It leaves the impression that some evils are depicted here only to showcase Dawson's virtues...which never sits well with me.  That is a flaw with most detective series I have read, though, and may be due to this being the novel in which Quartey is establishing Dawson's character. Overall, I want to read more!