River of Darkness by
Rennie Airth
hbk out March 99
Published by Macmillan
at £15.99
England, 1921, and the country is still struggling to come to terms with the ravages of the First World War. For Detective Inspector John Madden, it's literally a nightmare that still haunts his sleep as well as his waking hours and when he is called to a scene of carnage in an country house, he is confronted with other painful memories that lie even deeper buried in his psyche.
Soon Madden realises this is no ordinary murderer. Nor is the Surrey home of Colonel Fletcher his first killing field. Faced with disbelief from his own colleagues, Madden is forced to develop his own theories in his own way, taking steps that put him at greater risk than he could ever have suspected. Before he can finally confront a serial killer without compunction, he must deal with his own ghosts.
This is a stylish and accomplished novel, marrying the tradition of the English country house mystery with the gripping suspense of the most tense psychological thriller. Rennie Airth has produced a fascinating portrait of a society still at war with itself, but more importantly, he reveals a talent that promises great things for the future.
(
Val McDermid
- Gold Dagger winner & creator of Lindsay Gordon, Kate Brannigan & Tony Hill)
River of Darkness by
Rennie Airth