Thursday 5 August 2010

British Mystery

Finished August 5
Cold in Hand by John Harvey
DI Lynn Kellogg of Nottingham is on her way back from a hostage negotiation when she responds to an urgent call and wades into a fight. She is shot and injured as is a young woman, and another young woman is killed. The grieving father blames Lynn, and is vocal about it.
DI Charlie Resnick, Lynn's colleague and partner, is called on to assist with the murder case.
As Lynn recovers, she is called back on another case where a young woman and her child were killed, revisiting old ground in order to make some progress. Another murder case that she is the lead officer has stalled when a witness goes missing. The Serious and Organised Crime Agency (SOCA) is taking an interest and Lynn worries about her other witness. SOCA says it is part of an international arms case they are working on and Lynn finds herself being drawn into situations that increase her worry.
This book focuses on the police and the cases, but gives a glimpse of the real criminal world they are up against. The impulses people act upon and the mistakes people make have greater impacts than they think. We see Charlie at his most vulnerable, and like him better for it. I liked seeing how music played a role in people's lives as well. Charlie likes his jazz and several other characters have strong feelings about music too.

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