- this edition published by Allen & Unwin 2019
- ISBN 978-1-76063-267-0
- 308 pages
- a Brock & Kolla novel
Newly promoted Detective Chief Inspector Kathy Kolla investigates a series of brutal murders on Hampstead Heath. Under intense pressure to find answers, she arrests the unlikely figure of John Pettigrew, a failing London publisher who lives alone on the edge of the Heath.
Pettigrew's lawyer calls on recently retired David Brock for advice, and soon, unable to resist the pull of investigation, the old colleagues, Brock and Kolla, are at loggerheads.
At the heart of the gripping mystery of the Hampstead murders lies a manuscript of an unknown novel by one of the greatest literary figures of the twentieth century. Brock believes that its story will unlock the puzzle, but how?
My take
David Brock has retired and his protege Kathy Kolla has replaced him as DCI. so here is her first case as DCI without her mentor.
In four days, two women have been found murdered on Hampstead Heath, bashed with a hammer. The second is the wife of a judge. The judge is convinced that he is somehow the target of the murder but there is no evidence of that.
Kathy Kolla believes the two murders are linked somehow. And then a third body is found in the second bedroom of a London publisher but he has no memory of how she got there. Evidence is then found that seems to link him to the two earlier murders.
Meanwhile ex-Inspector Brock is at a loose end, when John Pettigrew's lawyer asks if he will talk with her client. Although Brock is aware that Kathy Kolla is leading the investigation of the Hampstead Heath murders, he doesn't believe she ever need know about this consultancy. And of course he is wrong.
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Over the years crime fiction authors have dealt with the problem of ageing detectives, partnerships that must eventually come to an end, and what to do as popular protagonists have to retire.
This novel raises one possible solution.
An excellent read. My best so far this year.
My rating: 5.0
I've also read
4.7, ALL MY ENEMIES -#3 Brock & Kolla
5.0, NO TRACE - #8
4.7, SPIDER TRAP - #9
`4.7, DARK MIRROR - #10
4.8, CHELSEA MANSIONS - #11
4.7, THE RAVEN'S EYE - #12
4.7, CRUCIFIXION CREEK
This sounds good, but I realize this is #13, and I usually have issues when I don't read a series in order. But it seems you don't read them in order yourself. So it's ok if we don't have the background on the characters? Are you planning to read #1?
ReplyDeleteI love Barry Maitland books, and was excited to see a new Brock and Kolla book - but can't find this listed anywhere. Is it being published later in 2019? I so want to read it!
ReplyDeleteEmma, I think I have read them all over the years.
ReplyDeleteI think this one could be read out of order.
Clothes in Books, this is just newly published.