It’s been some time since I blogged, but the other day I tried searching this site to see if I had read a Michael Connelly book already, so it felt like a good time to start again.
This somewhat worn hardback came from a charity shop, and is signed by the author, so must be worth at least the £2.99 that I paid for it. It’s the first that I’ve read by this author and is one of a series, so it was worth a chance as I do love to follow a series of books for a given character.
The main character in this book is Inspector McRae, who is a Scottish detective, now part of Professional Standards. Due to lack of staffing, he finds himself Senior Investigating Officer for a murder, and quite a grisly case too. This was hard to read, both due to the nature of the investigation (multiple child abductions) and also the rough characterisation. McRae is surrounded by uncaring, incompetent colleagues and a confusing ex-partner with whom he still works, Roberta Steel. Their relationship is very complex, coming to this book late in the series, they have a child together but she has a new wife and their relationship is now hugely antagonistic.
As well as uncovering a child-trading ring, the plot also includes the odd death of Detective Inspector Bell, who was thought to have committed suicide 2 years earlier. If DI Bell was still alive, who did they bury last time, and who knew his secrets and murdered him now?
The last few chapters were really gripping as the author tied up all loose ends, and despite struggling earlier to push through the book, I warmed to some of the other (very flawed) characters in the book. Maybe worth starting at the beginning of the series to better understand the back stories.
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musingstudio 