We’re now at book three in this series…
And I’m pretty gutted that that’s it thus far, until Lucie Whitehouse continues the series! (Let’s hope she’s a fast writer!) It’s another great, complex storyline with an ending that knocked me for six – I’m generally not bad at seeing what’s coming, but this book was full of surprises!
The murder victim is a young man, Ben Renshaw,. He left his home the evening before his body was discovered, and he’s found in sprawling woods which are generally deserted in the evening, apart from drug dealers meeting customers, and romantic assignations. He’s known to the police, not because he’s been in trouble, but because he and his best friend Theo gave evidence in a case against a fellow student at their prestigious private school called Alistair Heywood. As a result he was found guilty of raping their friend Molly and given a lengthy prison sentence. DCI Robin Lyons lands the job of finding his killer.
Ben and Theo’s brave decision resulted in a campaign of terrifying violence against them and their families, resulting in Theo being a victim of a hit-and-run, leaving his leg badly damaged. As the Heywoods are a powerful and rich family, the assumption is that they are responsible – but proof is impossible to find. Ben, Theo and Molly set up an online campaign, StrengthInNumbers.com, and give talks encouraging other victims of sexual violence to speak about their experiences on their supportive website. Ben’s charisma makes him the natural leader, and their forum gets plenty of media attention – something he clearly enjoys.
So is his murder a case of the Heywoods getting the ultimate revenge? Or is there more to this murder? When another death occurs, and that case is also given to Robin, she quickly feels the pressure to make arrests.
However, as is always the case with Robin, her family life is difficult – her brother Luke is on remand for a crime committed in the previous book, and her daughter Lennie is becoming increasingly withdrawn (I’m trying to avoid spoilers for those who haven’t read the previous book – but I do urge you to read them all, although this can be read as a standalone novel.) One of the strengths of this series is the attention given to the family, as well as the investigation. Every character is well-drawn and believable. Robin still has the complication of her feelings for Samir, her first love who is now her immediate superior. When she doubts herself, he encourages her to believe in her skills as a detective, which is something she – and her team -have in spades.
The investigation naturally leads them in unexpected directions, without feeling forced or inauthentic. It’s a fantastically original series, and Robin is a likeable but realistically flawed lead character. It also has plenty of amusing lines, to lighten the atmosphere. This series deserves – albeit based on just three books so far – to be as successful as any detective series I’ve ever read. It’s one of those books one rushes to return to, and I read it all within two or three days. The pace never flags – it’s compelling throughout. As for the ending – well, let’s just say I had a very late night, unable to put it down until I knew the full story! Please, Lucie, may we have some more…?
crimeworm Verdict: An absolute must-read for fans of quality police procedurals!
With thanks to Compulsive Readers for the blog tour invitation, and 4th Estate books for the ARC. This has not affected my opinion, and this is an honest review.
Author Lucie Whitehouse
BLURB: One murder, three families destroyed
And a detective guilty of a crime of her own
When 18-year-old Ben Renshaw is found dead in city woodland, DCI Robin Lyons is plunged into one of Birmingham’s most controversial cases.
Months earlier, Ben and his best friend gave testimony that sent a former classmate, Alistair Heywood, to prison for a vicious sexual assault. Before the trial, the boys and their families endured months of brutal witness intimidation, for which the Heywoods, a privileged and influential local family, faced no legal repercussions. Instead, they vowed revenge.
Is Ben’s murder the fulfilment of that vow, the beginning of a bloody new chapter that will go on claim lives on all sides? Or is the truth – as the Heywoods claim – something entirely different?
To solve the case, Robin has to negotiate the city’s networks of power while walking a dangerous line: her own daughter, Lennie, has a secret that could threaten her liberty – and, if it comes out, Robin’s, too. Before long, Robin comes to question whether she knows what justice is at all.
crimeworm 