Lee Allen's Blog - Posts Tagged "police-procedural"

The Treatment by Mo Hayder

My rating: 5 of 5 stars


Chilling...gripping...disturbing...compelling.

Mo Hayder has delivered another crime fiction masterpiece with 'The Treatment'. Following closely from the events of 'Birdman', this second in the series takes us deeper into Jack Caffery's haunted world, both personal and professional, as a case involving an imprisoned family and missing child proves to be too close to events of his own past.

I love the attention to detail of Hayder's books; procedural and forensic - the often graphic, visceral descriptions conjure images that stay with you, urging you to keep reading. The themes of the novel - child abuse, paedophilia, rape - are dealt with in a serious, psychologically authentic way, demonstrating that Hayder will not shy away from the realities of the subject matter.

This is a must-read police procedural and psychological thriller.



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Hidden Killers by Lynda La Plante

My rating: 5 of 5 stars


A gripping sequel to 'Tennison' continuing the story of Jane's early cases as she joins CID and takes another step toward becoming the first female DCI we meet in 'Prime Suspect'.

This was a fantastic read from start to finish. Lynda La Plante has always been exceptional with her police procedurals, and this is up there with her best. We continue to see Jane's attempts to harden herself to the professional and personal dilemmas she faces, while the mix of colleagues, criminals, victims, and witnesses drive the compelling plot forward to its conclusion.

I loved this novel. I spent the last week back in work wanting to get home and get everything done which I needed to do so I could continue reading. Can't wait for Book 3 later this year!

('Good Friday' - book 3 in the series - is out now, which I'm currently reading, and it's brilliant!)



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Good Friday by Lynda La Plante

My rating: 5 of 5 stars


A breath-taking thriller that grips you in a stranglehold from beginning to end as Jane finds herself caught in the middle of an investigation into an IRA cell.

Lynda La Plante's third novel in the 'Tennison' series sees Jane now a fully fledged detective constable, following completion of her CID course. Her desire to progress her career and investigate crime rather than being left the menial tasks leads to her temporary transfer to the Dip Squad, which she hopes will lead her to bigger and better things. She is unwittingly caught in an explosion at Covent Garden Underground station, the result of a bomb it is suspected was planted by the IRA.

Gripping and fast-faced, the novel follows the investigation in procedural and forensic detail. It's fascinating to follow as the detectives and scientists piece together the evidence, particularly as you can determine the differences and similarities between the 1970's and today. The tension builds to a dramatic climax with Jane at the centre of the developing danger. It was a perfect ending and throughout the book I was gripped - I wanted to keep going, just one more chapter.

Throughout each novel, Jane's character is developing toward the DCI Tennison we met in 'Prime Suspect' - making the highs and lows of Jane's personal life as fascinating as the criminal investigations. La Plante has always been superlative at portraying both real human characters and accurate, detailed investigations - 'Prime Suspect', 'Trial & Retribution', the Anna Travis novels - and the 'Tennison' series is proving to continue her trademark brilliance.

I can't wait to read the fourth in the series, 'Murder Mile', next year. It sounds like another gripping investigation.



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The City in Darkness by Michael Russell

My rating: 5 of 5 stars


Stefan Gillespie returns in the third in Michael Russell's series of historical crime thrillers.

Having read both 'The City of Shadows' and 'The City of Strangers' in 2012 and 2013 respectively, I have been eagerly awaiting 'The City in Darkness' for several years, and it was certainly worth the wait. The opening scenes of a murder in rural Ireland and an insight the Spanish Civil War set up the juxtaposition of personal and political crimes that run through the Gillespie series. When we are reacquainted with Stefan Gillespie, he is an Inspector working for Special Branch and not entirely happy with the situation in which he finds himself.

Soon having reason to suspect his superior officer is involved with the IRA, Stefan finds himself conveniently requested to assist in the case of a missing postman who disappeared in a place where Stefan has ghosts of his own. His investigation leads to a personal revelation which shifts his focus and leaves him in mortal danger, while a request to safeguard the Irish Ambassador on a trip to Franco's Spain may also present Stefan with the opportunity to find the vital clues he needs.

'The City in Darkness' is a slow-burning cocktail of murder, corruption, espionage and betrayal, leading to a gripping climax back where it all began in rural Ireland. A superb, gripping thriller - I'm very much looking forward to reading 'The City of Lies'.



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Murder Mile by Lynda La Plante

My rating: 5 of 5 stars


A fast-faced, gripping thriller about a murder investigation in the midst of the Winter of Discontent.

‘Murder Mile’ is the fourth book in Lynda La Plante’s ‘Tennison’ series (following ‘Tennison’, ‘Hidden Killers’ and ‘Good Friday’), the story of the early career of Jane Tennison before she becomes the senior detective we meet in ‘Prime Suspect’, so flawlessly brought to life with a performance by Helen Mirren and scripts by Lynda La Plante.

Now promoted to Detective Sergeant and working on the Murder Squad, we meet up with Jane again in 1979, nearing the end of a night shift and looking forward to shortly taking a few days off. But then she and her partner receive a call – a young woman has been found, beaten and unconscious. On arrival at the scene, Jane finds that the young woman is dead.

The twists and turns of the murder investigation lead to more victims, revelations and the pursuit of a prime suspect that Jane’s DCI is convinced is their killer. But Jane is unconvinced the case is as clear-cut as it first seems. Following the evidence and her own gut feeling, she ultimately uncovers revelations that turn the case on its head.

The details of the forensics are fascinating, most notably because of the time period in which the novel is set. This was before DNA fingerprinting/profiling (developed in 1984/85 and first used in a criminal investigation in 1986-87, resulting in a conviction in 1988), but many other forensic techniques are used by the team – significantly analysis of blood, fibres, and fingerprints.

Another notable theme of the series is prejudice, both in wider society and within the police force itself. The sexism has been evident since Jane first joined the police and will continue through her police career. Homophobia plays a significant role in ‘Murder Mile’ and we witness the effect this has on several characters.

Jane continues to develop as a character; her confidence has grown and she is proving herself as a detective, while her independence is more evident than before. A character remarks at one point that, “at this rate, she’ll be the first plonk (a derogatory term for a female police officer) in the Met to make DCI and run a murder squad,” a comment met with scorn by a senior detective, but which cannot fail to raise a smile. The interactions between the team always come across as authentic and human, with the occasional snatches of humour helping them deal with the horrors of the crime scenes and the emotions of the victims’ families.

Building to an intense and brilliant finale, ‘Murder Mile’ is an enthralling read from the first page to the last, concluding the investigation and leaving you anxious to learn what will come next for Jane. It proves to be pure escapism, as the three previous novels were, and I cannot wait to read Book 5!



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Into the Water by Paula Hawkins

My rating: 4 of 5 stars


‘Into the Water’ is the second thriller by Paula Hawkins, author of ‘The Girl on the Train’, which was always going to be a hard act to follow considering its success. However, Hawkins’ second novel more than lives up to expectations – an enthralling mystery featuring an ensemble of characters which steadily submerge you in their stories.

At the heart of the novel is the Drowning Pool and the legends and mysteries that circle around it. There are the tales of alleged witches, drowned during trials determining whether they will sink or swim (an allegation of practicing witchcraft was a death sentence; surviving the test would only be held as proof they were in allegiance with the Devil); and speculation surrounding numerous suicides – a woman who murdered her husband, a mother whose son saw her jump, a teenage girl whose reason for taking her own life remains unknown. Legend says, if you go to the water at night or submerge yourself in its depths, you can almost hear its victims calling out to you...

As the novel begins, Nel Abbott is the latest whose life came to an end in the water, falling from the cliff above. But did she jump or was she pushed? Her sister, Jules, becomes convinced she must have been murdered, while her daughter, Lena, seems convinced she killed herself.

There are quite a few characters we get to know throughout the course of the book. As well as the Abbotts, we are introduced to the Whittakers, family of Katie, the teenage girl who took her own life; the Townsends, the DI investigating the case, his wife, and father; as well as several others. I particularly liked Erin, the DS who is new to the area, and all the scenes featuring Nickie, the town psychic, were incredibly entertaining. I almost immediately took a dislike to Patrick, though his obvious commitment to his family remained throughout his redeeming quality. With so many characters, every reader will take away something different from the story, which is undoubtedly one of the novel's strengths.

Told through each of the character's perspectives, the mysteries and secrets of the small town and its inhabitants, past and present, are unveiled, leading to the final revelation in the last few pages.

'Into the Water' proves to be as immersive as the Drowning Pool itself, a thriller that has you hooked to the very end and a perfect companion for a long train ride and sitting atop the cliffs beside the sea.



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Irène by Pierre Lemaitre

My rating: 5 of 5 stars


'Irène' (originally 'Travail Soigné') is Pierre Lemaitre's debut novel and the first to feature Commandant Camille Verhœven. It is a dark and brutal novel, following Verhœven's investigation into multiple murders committed by a killer who becomes known as the Novelist.

We meet Camille as he interviews a victim of violent crime, before he receives a call from one of his officers - two young woman have been brutally murdered and dismembered, and the crime scene is unlike anything the team have encountered before. Shocked by the level of violence and bloodshed, the team painstakingly analyse the evidence and follow the leads, reaching numerous dead-ends. The killer is proving to be elusive, devious and clever; Camille is convinced he will kill again and has killed before. A fake fingerprint, deliberately left at the scene, soon leads them to another brutal murder committed eighteen months previously. It is in this crime that Camille recognises the killer's MO - he is recreating murders that have taken place in novels.

We are also introduced to Camille's private life - his wife Irène is heavily pregnant with their first child. Camille's growing focus on the case begins to put a strain on their relationship, not to mention his already strained relationship with his father.

The French judicial system is vastly different to that in the United Kingdom - the lead investigator and his superiors answer to an appointed juge d'instruction, who manages the investigation. Nevertheless, Camille proves to be somewhat a maverick, approaching the killer directly via a personal ad to encourage him to talk about his work and draw him out. The pressure of the case soon takes its toll, with press intrusion mounting and the discovery of more victims, threatening to spill over into Camille's own life.

Written with detailed precision, 'Irène' is fast-paced, gripping and an instant classic. It felt reminiscent of 'Messiah' (both Boris Starling's novel and the TV series starring Ken Stott), in its brutality, its dark atmosphere and its intrusion into the investigating team's personal lives. As a lover of crime fiction, Lemaitre and the killer's tributes to murders in crime novels, as well as the investigation into the possibility of more imitations, were thrilling - dealt with expertly so as to contribute to the novel's plot and the killer's psychology rather than detract from it.

With a fantastic twist, rocketing towards a brutal, shocking conclusion, 'Irène' is a superb thriller that stays with you long after the final page and leaves you wanting more - it shan't be long before I pick up the second novel, 'Alex', and delve into Camille Verhœven's world once again.



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Tooth and Nail by Ian Rankin

My rating: 4 of 5 stars


A gripping police procedural that takes Rebus to London to hunt a serial killer.

It has been far too long since I last read a Rebus book. Rankin's first two novels in the series, 'Knots and Crosses' and 'Hide and Seek', as well as the short story collection, 'A Good Hanging', were brilliant, so quite why it has taken so long for me to revisit the series I do not know.

'Tooth and Nail' (originally 'Wolfman' on its first publication) finds Rebus travelling from Edinburgh to London, requested to assist in the investigation of a series of murders, the perpetrator of which the press have named the Wolfman. He arrives by train, hearing the news that a third victim has been discovered, and heads straight for the crime scene.

With insights into both the killer's psyche and the police investigation, this is a superb psychological thriller, with Rebus at its heart as the fish-out-of-water detective who isn't quite sure who has summoned him to London and if he can truly make a contribution to the investigation. Rebus is soon approached by a psychologist offering to produce a profile of the Wolfman. Rebus accepts, though his suggestion to meet for dinner to discuss her profile isn't solely motivated by professional interest.

As well as contending with the case and the attitudes of the police team, who see his contribution as interference, Rebus also reacquaints himself with his ex-wife and their daughter, Samantha, who moved to London from Edinburgh. Personal and professional pressures collide and Rebus soon finds that his rash actions may have unforeseen consequences.

I couldn't put 'Tooth and Nail' down - it is well-written and tightly plotted, with a masterfully executed conclusion. Rebus is an icon of crime fiction - flawed but brilliant - and I will be eagerly devouring further novels in the series.



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Kiss Of Evil by Richard Montanari

My rating: 5 of 5 stars


Detective Jack Paris returns in the sequel to Richard Montanari's first novel, 'Don't Look Now'/'Deviant Way'.

Christmas is fast-approaching and a serial killer is beginning his work. A woman drawn into an online fantasy world is brutally murdered. A con artist finds herself cornered when one of her cons goes wrong. Someone is watching her and someone is also watching Jack Paris.

Another case playing on Jack's mind is that of the murder of Mike Ryan, a police officer murdered two years before by a woman who has recently been found dead, her lawyer determined to give Jack a hard time. As the body count rises, Jack is drawn into the worlds of Santeria (an ancient religion comprised of elements of Yoruba religion and Christianity) and sexual deviance. Unbeknownst to him, the killer has an endgame in mind with Jack as its star performer.

Relentlessly fast-paced with multiple twists and turns, all of the strands come together for a heart-stopping finale, neatly tying all the loose ends in what at first appears to be a novel featuring multiple cases, but is revealed to be far more complicated, with potentially deadly consequences for Jack.

'Kiss of Evil' is a masterstroke in suspense, told in gruesome detail and with some surprises along the way - a superbly plotted and complex psychological thriller.



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Alex by Pierre Lemaitre

My rating: 5 of 5 stars


Commandant Camille Verhœven returns in another dark and gripping thriller from Pierre Lemaitre, following 'Irène', the first in the series.

'Alex' (also originally Alex in the French language) tells the story of Alex Prévost. Assaulted and kidnapped, she is trapped in a cage by her attacker, who tells her he wishes to watch her die. Assigned to the case against his will, it proves too close to home for Camille, still haunted by his personal demons. As he and his team close in on the kidnapper, the hunt becomes a race against time to save Alex's life.

With the discovery of a corpse, the case is soon turned on its head and Camille finds himself on the hunt for a clever, brutal serial murderer, who is always one step ahead.

Psychologically compelling and fast-paced, with multiple twists, 'Alex' grips from the opening pages to the last. The two central characters, Alex and Camille, are brilliantly portrayed. With 'Irène' and 'Alex', Lemaitre is fast becoming one of my favourite authors - 'Alex' is a superb addition to the Camille Verhœven series and I cannot wait to delve into the third novel 'Camille'.



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