Bev Morriss, the tough but vulnerable British cop, returns in her third outing, following
Working Girls (2004) and
Dead Old (2005). Her life is in a bit of disarray: she has just moved into a new house, which is still littered with unpacked boxes; her lover seems to be losing interest; and, at work, Detective Inspector Mike Powell is cockier than ever, having survived his misconduct hearing. When, due to her own outspoken nature, she is taken off a high-profile rape case and reassigned to a seemingly pointless baby kidnapping, Bev's mood plummets even lower. Soon she is fighting not just to save a missing child but also to salvage her own career. Carter writes like a longtime veteran, with snappy patter and stark narrative, and her series should appeal especially to fans of Denise Mina's Garnethill trilogy, set in rainy, low-end Glasgow.
David PittCopyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved