It’s out now! The last book in the brilliant Tennison series – this is Book 10 and it’s another great mystery.
Thanks to Compulsive Readers for inviting me to join #TeamTennison and to Zaffre Books for my review copy. Opinions, as always, are my own.
I’ve loved this series and it has been a treat to read it from the start with other bloggers as part of #TeamTennison. It’s been great to see Jane Tennison develop from a new recruit in the Metropolitan Police to a DCI in the prestigious AMIT unit. Along the way, she’s investigated IRA bombings, serial killings, cold cases, armed robberies and a fair dose of police corruption – it’s been a varied career and an enjoyable one to follow.
In this book, Jane takes a high-ranking job in the AMIT team which investigates major incidents. However, the sexism that has hindered her career to date is still very much in evidence – and she immediately gets sidelined into investigating a cold case. Jane and her new assistant, Maureen, begin to look into the disappearance of a young girl from a pub five years previously and set about re-interviewing the key witnesses. As usual, Jane brings a new perspective to the case – and even manages to offer some interesting leads on another controversial case within the unit.
This is a satisfying end to the series, incorporating a lot of the themes from earlier books but also foregrounding Jane’s career success and determination. She remains a strong woman, whether she’s fixing up the terrible office given to her by her male colleagues or picking up clues missed by others.
As with all the books in the series, this is a well-plotted and well-researched police procedural. It feels authentic and plausible, from the forensic information to the legal processes to the police procedures. Even the characters seem realistic, from the reluctant techies jealously guarding their VCRs to the old-school officers who take credit for the work of others. Maureen is also a lovely character and it’s great to see a female team take on the sexism in the police.
It’s quite sad that there won’t be any more Tennison books, but this is clearly the final instalment – this takes us right through to the point where Hellen Mirren’s ‘Prime Suspect’ picks up Jane’s story. Still, it’s a fine end to a fine series and I recommend it wholeheartedly.
