Behind closed doors
When two army rifles – stolen from a Welsh barracks – are recovered during a raid on a drug-dealer’s home, Inspector Robert Finlay is sent to Wales to find out how they had ended up in London. Because of Finlay’s own army background, his boss, Bill Grahamslaw, believes him to be the right man for the job. However, on his arrival at the Prince Albert Barracks, he soon finds that not everyone is of the same mind. Met with suspicion and somewhat reluctant cooperation, the only person apparently willing to help him is Sergeant Floria McLaren, a member of the military police who has been assigned to Finlay for the duration of his investigation.
As Finlay starts to question those in charge of the stolen rifles at the time they went missing, he discovers one of the rifles belonged to a young female recruit, Angela Davenport – whose recent death is currently the subject of an inquest. Keen to interview her parents, when Finlay finally gets to speak to them, Michael Davenport is adamant his daughter would never have killed herself and that the army is covering up the truth of what really happened.
Under pressure from the Ministry of Defence to let sleeping dogs lie, Finlay’s boss orders him not to get involved with the Davenport’s case. His sole job is to question the relevant people about the rifles and then return to London immediately. Unfortunately, Finlay now has the bit between his teeth and decides to ignore his boss’s order. With a conspiracy of silence arousing his suspicions, he is convinced that Angela Davenport’s death is just the tip of the iceberg and therefore elects to remain at the barracks until he finds out what is really going on ‘behind the wire’.
Like his previous novels, Matt Johnson’s ‘Crow 27’ is a gritty, fast-paced, and truly absorbing story that will keep you reading long into the night. Robert Finlay is a character you can totally believe in, and the realistic storyline bears testimony to the obvious amount of detailed research that must have been undertaken. Far from shying away from rocking the military boat, Matt has grabbed the bull by both horns and tackled the sensitive subject of bullying and abuse within the British army … one which could possibly cause some discomfort among the powers that be. The result is a shocking but rewarding story that will stay with you long after the last page. Definitely worth a read.
As Finlay starts to question those in charge of the stolen rifles at the time they went missing, he discovers one of the rifles belonged to a young female recruit, Angela Davenport – whose recent death is currently the subject of an inquest. Keen to interview her parents, when Finlay finally gets to speak to them, Michael Davenport is adamant his daughter would never have killed herself and that the army is covering up the truth of what really happened.
Under pressure from the Ministry of Defence to let sleeping dogs lie, Finlay’s boss orders him not to get involved with the Davenport’s case. His sole job is to question the relevant people about the rifles and then return to London immediately. Unfortunately, Finlay now has the bit between his teeth and decides to ignore his boss’s order. With a conspiracy of silence arousing his suspicions, he is convinced that Angela Davenport’s death is just the tip of the iceberg and therefore elects to remain at the barracks until he finds out what is really going on ‘behind the wire’.
Like his previous novels, Matt Johnson’s ‘Crow 27’ is a gritty, fast-paced, and truly absorbing story that will keep you reading long into the night. Robert Finlay is a character you can totally believe in, and the realistic storyline bears testimony to the obvious amount of detailed research that must have been undertaken. Far from shying away from rocking the military boat, Matt has grabbed the bull by both horns and tackled the sensitive subject of bullying and abuse within the British army … one which could possibly cause some discomfort among the powers that be. The result is a shocking but rewarding story that will stay with you long after the last page. Definitely worth a read.
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