Review: DEATH SURGE, Pauline Rowson

• Format: Kindle (Amazon)
  
• File Size: 554 KB
• Print Length: 224 pages
• Publisher: Severn House Digital; First World Publication edition (December 20, 2013)
• Sold by: Amazon Digital Services, Inc.
• Language: English
• ASIN: B00H9DOLE2
• #10 in the Andy Horton series

Synopsis (author site)

A telephone call from a frantic Sergeant Cantelli to say that his nephew, Johnnie Oslow, is missing cuts short Detective Inspector Horton’s sailing trip to France. Summoned back to the Isle of Wight, Horton learns that Johnnie has not shown up for racing during Cowes Week, as previously arranged.

The investigation is ranked low priority by Horton’s boss, Detective Chief Inspector Lorraine Bliss, who like others believes Johnnie has probably gone off with a woman. But events take a very different turn when the charred remains of a body are discovered in one of the disused tunnels at the Hilsea Lines in Portsmouth.

With the arrival of Detective Chief Superintendent Sawyer of the Intelligence Directorate and Agent Harriet Eames of Europol, what began as the hunt for a missing man becomes the search for a ruthless killer . . .

My take

One strand of this novel, as always in this series, is the continuing story of Detective Inspector Andy Horton's life, and his ongoing search for the truth about his mother Jennifer, who vanished when he was 10 years old. In each novel he collects more clues to what happened to her, but can't quite get there.

The other strand of the novel, as always, is the current case, a local event, a murder, a disappearance, a mystery. This time the nephew of Horton's sergeant, Barney Cantelli, has gone missing at the beginning of Cowes Week. It seems he may have disappeared en route from London to Cowes. Johnnie Oslow, an experienced sailor, has been missing for 3 days.

I haven't read all of this series but I have enjoyed those I have. Rowson does a good job with all aspects of the novels: the plots are engaging, the setting feels authentic, and character development is excellent.

My rating: 4.5

I've also reviewed
DEADLY WATERS
THE SUFFOCATING SEA
4.4, DEAD MAN'S WHARF
4.3, A KILLING COAST
4.6, DEATH LIES BENEATH