Tangled Web UK Review February 2008
Cold in Hand by
John Harvey
hbk out January 08
Published by Heinemann
at £12.99
John Harvey was this year's winner of the Crime Writer's Association Diamond Dagger, given for 'sustained excellence'. His books are well- known, especially his long series of 'Resnick' novels, of which this is the latest.
Charlie Resnick is a detective Inspector in Nottingham, which makes a change of locale from books set in London, Glasgow, Edinburgh and Yorkshire. Resnick is nearing retirement, but still very active. The well- used formula employed by a number of crime writers of a DI living with another younger and attractive woman detective/journalist is used, this one being DI Lynne Kellog, with whom Resnick has been 'partnered' for several years.
She is shot early in the story, but her body armour prevents her from suffering more than some bruised ribs. The attack took place when she was trying break up a multi-racial gang fight, in which one girl stabs another but is herself shot dead. The family of the dead girl claim that Lynne used the victim to shield herself and aggravation mounts as the police try to identify the shooter.
Several side plots appear, based on both Albanian-led prostitution and gun-running from Lithuania. The author puts some forthright opinions in the mouths of his characters about the source of much criminality in today's Britain.
A reviewer must not blow the plot, so I'll say no more, but this is a first- class 'police procedural'.
(
Bernard Knight
ex Home Office Pathologist and author of the highly acclaimed Crowner John series)
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