🌟🌟🌟🌟 1/2
A tricky and twisty police-procedural that draws you into its web quickly, leading you down a complex path, leaving you convinced, at last, that you’ve figured it all out – until of course, you realize you haven’t. Not even close.
Leading me astray not once, but twice, this well-written and compelling story has plenty of suspects, a whole lot of bodies, a squabbling Major-Incident team, and a nasty murderer whose self-penned notes for the reader give nothing away, except perhaps the evilness lurking within.
As DI Alison Grainger (appointed SIO for the grisly arson which will claim three bodies) gears up to begin the chase, she is happy to welcome Trainee DC Hannah Kemp to the team. Hannah, twenty-seven years old, scarred and still recovering from a traumatic work-related injury, now promoted to Detective and eager to earn her stripes, is also bearing secrets.
Along with her colleagues, the raffish DS Colin Crowther, (seducer of women extraordinaire), DS Stephanie Green (prone to ‘hunches”, and what must be a stress-addiction to food), and DC Luke Hughes (a victim of an accident leaving him wheel-chair bound, Luke is the most sensible and quietly-reliable member of the team), Alison must fight the clock to identify the killer before more brutalized bodies are added to the list.
DCI Paul Banham appears in the book only peripherally (somewhat-strangely as the series is named after him) – as the lover/partner, personally, and well as the boss, professionally, of DI Alison Grainger. As the case heats up (sorry!) their relationship is a tad strained and Alison must jockey to maintain a firm hold on the command and respect of her team.
A great read, with much going on to keep this reader on her toes, I enjoyed watching the colorful characters peppering this police-team in action – reminding me, on more than one occasion, of the noisy and rebellious bickering of a family of boisterous teenagers (albeit, ones who are oddly-capable of dusting themselves off, grabbing their weapons, and heading off into life-threatening situations with a certain degree of competency).
I’m looking forward to reading more of this wonderful series.
A great big thank you to @FMcMAssociates, the author @Linda_Regan and the publisher @AccentPress for an ARC of this book. All thoughts presented are my own.
My stop today on the @FMcMAssociates #blogtour for #TheBurningQuestion.
