“Pop quiz, hotshot.”

81. The Midnight Witness – Sara Blaedel

The first of the Det. Louise Rick novels deals with the intersection between the media and police investigations a lot. In part, because a journalist is one of the murder victims, and also because Det. Louise Rick’s best friend is a journalist, Camilla Lind. While everyone is concerned with solving the case, the pushing because of the journalism angle really threatens the legitimacy of the investigation. As much as the public wants to know what’s going on and deserves to, something has to be kept back so that the killer can be identified based on the details only they know or the ones that might be a red herring and lead the public to one person when it’s someone else. Part of investigating is looking at everything one can, which leads in different directions sometimes, not just straight to one person. However, The Midnight Witness is more of a conspiracy/drugs/relationships sort of police procedural in a way that can be a little trying at times. Trying for the characters as they run into a lot of sexism and “you’re off the story” kind of stupidity as well as what’s really going on and for the reader as they might wonder why this department seems, um, a little all over the place in their tactics. I’m not sure they’d do well in a Speed-scenario with this investigative team.

Murderface looks on as Belvedere contemplates a career in Danish law enforcement for almost a whole second.