Driving to work in Liverpool, Dr Grace Chandler is horrified to witness the savaged
body of a young woman being emptied from a wheelie-bin. Her partner, DI Jeff
Rickman launches and leads the murder enquiry. The killing is particularly
gruesome: the victim has been bled to death. The woman is identified as a refugee,
working as a prostitute, and the police enquiries are hampered by the fears and
insecurities of a community living on the edge of society and shunned by many. This
is the start of a new series from Murphy featuring Jeff Rickman and Sergeant Lee
Foster. Alongside the harrowing investigation, Rickman is forced to deal with family
matters when his estranged brother arrives in Liverpool. The two coppers; the
thoughtful and damaged older man and the wise-cracking, loyal sidekick Foster were
a pleasure to spend time with. Murphy tells a terrific story, and mixes the genres of a
police thriller with a suspense story very effectively. Strong on plotting with splashes
of humour and Murphy's trademark interest in and compassion for victims, The
Dispossessed is also informative on the realities of the system that refugees here face.
Another example of how well the crime genre is suited to tackling the most pertinent
issues of contemporary society.
(
Cath Staincliffe
author of the popular Sal Kilkenny mysteries and the series creator of TV Blue Murder)
The Dispossessed by
Margaret Murphy
