Cath Staincliffe's latest novel is not to be confused with another bearing the same title by an American author called Philip Jolowicz; nor does it have anything to do with the events of September 11. Rather, it is the latest entry in Staincliffe's series about the Mancunian single mother and private eye, Sal Kilkenny.
It is the run-in to Christmas and two sisters, Connie and Martina Johnstone, have approached Sal for help. Miriam, their mother, had a history of depression, and has, if the coroner is to be believed, committed suicide. But the sisters do not believe that to be the truth. For Miriam is supposed to have flung herself from the top level of a shopping centre car park and fallen to her death - yet, as her daughters know, she had a fear of heights. As ever with this series, the detail about Sal's life commands attention ('yes, even private eyes have to get their teeth done') and lend an atmosphere of realism to the proceedings. The topical Manchester setting is also a significant element: for example, the money being poured in to spruce up derelict areas in readiness for this year's Commonwealth Games gets a mention. The Kilkenny books have been quietly gathering critical acclaim for a number of years now and the new story is possibly the most assured of them all.