From Publishers Weekly
In Hill's fine second Simon Serrailler crime novel (after
The Various Haunts of Men), Inspector Serrailler, who's still brooding over the unsolved murder of a fellow officer a year earlier, has sought solace amid Italian ruins with his sketchbook, much to the disapproval of his father back in England. Summoned home to the cathedral town of Lafferton, Serrailler finds that murder, family breakups and the abduction of a schoolboy have occurred in his absence. Other worries include the impending death of his handicapped sister, Martha, and a mob attack on the home of the pedophile suspected of kidnapping nine-year-old David Angus. Meanwhile, down-and-out ex-con Andy Gunton finds dubious employment shipping cars for sleazy Lee Carter. The patient reader must wait until these subplots come together, but Hill's smooth and engrossing style creates riveting suspense as Serrailler and sidekick Nathan Coates pursue David's abductors through Lafferton's seediest areas to an astonishing conclusion.
(Nov.) Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.
--This text refers to the
Hardcover
edition.
*Starred Review* In the second instalment of Hill's Simon Serrailler crime series, following The Various Haunts of Men (2006), a nine-year-old boy is kidnapped in broad daylight while waiting for his school ride outside his home in the British cathedral town of Lafferton, and the case falls squarely in the lap of Detective Chief Inspector Serrailler. It's a copper's worst nightmare—broken and grieving parents, intense media interest, and extreme pressure from the top police brass to solve the case "yesterday." But there are few leads and no apparent motive, and as the days go by and the child isn't found, hope drains away. Although the case hits Simon and his team exceptionally hard, he has other problems to deal with: he is still trying to come to terms with the murder of a former colleague, his severely disabled sister's health is worsening daily, his ex-girlfriend is stalking him, he and his twin sister are quarrelling over Simon's fear of commitment, and an ex-con who's just been released from prison is causing Simon major headaches. This is realistic, gritty, and gut-wrenching crime fiction, but it's also a poignant and thoughtful character study. Add to that Hill's mesmerizing storytelling ability and her gift for making characters and situations come alive, and the result is an outstanding read that will stay with readers long afterward. Melton, Emily
--This text refers to the
Hardcover
edition.
