3 Fiction

Finished July 21
Broken Skin by Stuart MacBride
This story, set in Aberdeen, is a definite thriller. A rapist is on the prowl, leaving behind women tortured and disfigured. PC Jackie Watson acts as bait and they catch on the star football player for Aberdeen Football Club. However, he claims he was not attacking her, and has alibis for all the other attacks. Neither she, nor her superior believe him, but are forced to pull back as they are seen as harassing him. DS Logan McRae is following up on a case of a blood-drenched man dumped outside the hospital who has died from his injuries. When they discover the dead man was an actor in pornographic films, they are lead into the local bondage community. Logan also gets involved when an 8-year-old kills an elderly man at a mall, and badly injures a police officer. As Logan gets closer to discovering what is going on in these 3 cases, he deals with personal suspicions, an officer with an insider's view of the local scene, and actions, and non-actions that don't make sense. All the stories gripped me and Logan's actions show him to be human.

Daddy's Girl by Lisa Scottoline, performed by Barbara Rosenblat
Natalie Greco, only girl in the Greco construction family, is a law professor who loves her job and feels that she doesn't quite fit in to her football-loving, loud and raucous family. A colleague at the university, Angus Holt involves her in a clinic program he runs at a local minimum security prison. While they are there a riot breaks out and Natalie is attacked by a student in the program Angus and Natalie are teaching. As Natalie tries to find help, she ends up offering consolation and medical help to a dying guard, who gives her a message for his wife. As Natalie and Angus continue to delve into the situation at the jail, Natalie finds herself suspected of murder, and increasingly drawn to Angus. As she runs from the police, buying herself time to find out more about what is going on at the jail, she relies on her own resources and brains. She thinks on her feet and surprises even herself by what she is capable of. I loved every minute of this book and was encouraged as Natalie grew into herself and became aware of her own skills and expertise.

Finished July 19
One Under by Graham Hurley
The story starts with a commuter train running over a body in a tunnel. Police discover the body was naked and chained to the rails. There are no clues to the identity of the man, so they start with the missing persons list. DC Paul Winter is in charge of the Intelligence Cell for Major Crimes and is charged with following up on the list and the items associated with the body. DI Joe Faraday is in charge of the case. Winter gets distracted by another missing person, and starts following it on his own, but eventually comes clean to Faraday and both cases are active. Winter's contacts lead him down some interesting roads, and arouse suspicion at higher levels. Faraday is just out of a relationship and at a bit of a loose end personally. Winter is just back on the job after brain surgery and is still vulnerable. The personal lives of the two men also affect the investigations. I found this book interesting and would definitely look for more with these characters.