Perfectly Dead

Jacobsen & Kerr #3

by Iain McDowall

Chief Inspector Jacobson hates drug-related cases. Not least because it means he has to work with the drug squad. But there's no alternative when a local dealer turns up burnt, battered and dead. Just another hopeless, pointless sink estate incident in the middle of a grey, Crowby February. But even so Dave Carter's torched body is the stuff of bad dreams. Death doesn't get any grimmer, Jacobson thinks. But that's because Jacobson, DS Kerr and Crowby CID are still forty-eight hours away from the 'Perfect Family' killings ... five dead in a leafy suburb where bad things aren't supposed to happen. And the only witness may never speak again.

456 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 2008

About the author

Iain McDowall grew up in the West of Scotland but lives in England. He was a university teacher before taking up writing. His Inspector Jacobson series has been praised by reviewers on both sides of the Atlantic. Iain has stated that he uses the crime novel as a scalpel to scrape away at hidden, darker aspects of modern life. His latest title is The Evil Thereof.

Reviews

[Val Penny · Rating 4 out of 5]

Iain McDowall is a British crime writer. He was born near to where I now live, Kilmarnock, Scotland. He worked as a university lecturer and reseacher before he took up a career as an author. He now lives in the midlands of England and sets his series of novels featuring his character Chief Inspector Jacobson in the imaginary town of Crowby in the midlands. These novels are police procedurals but they are different from many of this type in that the stories are told from the point of view of non- police protagonists. McDowall’s books also often deal with controversial social and political issues.

I really enjoy crime thriller fiction and know most of the writers that can be classed as “Tartan Noire” (the Scottish authors who write books of this type). So I was surprised when I discovered books by McDowall and was not familiar with his work.

Perfectly Dead is the third in the series of novels featuring Chief Inspector Jacobson. In the book it becomes clear that Jacobson does not like working with the drug squad or working drugs cases. However, this book deals with the gruesome death of, Dave Carter, a local drug dealer. His body is found burnt and battered in a run down housing estate. Jacobson has no choice but to work with the drug squad.

Only two days later Jacobson and his colleague Detective Sergeant Kerr find a family of five people dead in a salubrious suburb. It is unusual to find this kind of crime here. Also, it is not clear that the witness will give evidence.

I really did enjoy this book and thoroughly enjoy McDowall’s style of writing. I highly recommend this book and I will certainly look out for more novels by this author.

[Ria · Rating 5 out of 5]

Inspector Jacobson has a new case to work on, the murder of Dave Carter.
Its a drug related case and one of Jacobson's personal pet hates in the job, having to deal with the so called seething underbelly of society.
But things are not adding up, there are man loose ends including a tie in with the murder of the "perfect" respectable, local family made good.
Who is the murderer?
The father who slaughtered his family cold blood like everyone believes?
Or are there deeper motives to the grisly murders going on in Crowby?
A fast paced and enthralling crime thriller for those who enjoy a good, modern style murder mystery.

[Carole · Rating 4 out of 5]

good read