I am always up for a good police procedural and jumped at the chance to read this – I’d heard so many good things about this series which focuses on DI Geraldine Steel. Thanks to No Exit Press for sending me a copy in exchange for an honest review.
In this story, DI Geraldine Steel is heading an investigation in York into the death of a sex worker. However, she is without her usual partner in both life and policing – Ian Peterson. He’s in London and working undercover to try to infiltrate a drugs operation that has targeted Geraldine’s family. The story moves between London and York as the stakes are raised – but will their partnership survive?
This is the 16th book in the series – I hadn’t read any of the previous books but enjoyed this one as a stand-alone. It would definitely make me pick up more of Russell’s books – and I’m now very intrigued by the relationship between Geraldine and Ian. Given that their partnership is on rocky ground, I think I need to go back and find out what has brought them to this point.
Although gang stories aren’t usually my bag, I did find myself caught up in Ian’s investigations in London. The brutality of the gangs and the systems used to shield activity from the police were interestingand shocking. In particular, the decidedly dicey position of an undercover police officer made for some very tense reading. This strand of the story provided the peril and tension that balanced the slightly more sedate investigations into the York murder.
Geraldine’s investigations back in York were more along the lines of the traditional police procedural. I did find it a bit unusual that the killer was revealed right at the start – although I then enjoyed watching the net tighten around him. All I can say is that he seems to be one unlucky man with all the accidental murders!
My only reservation was how realistic it was for Ian Peterson to vanish from York, pop up undercover in London and then be able to go back when he wants. With my limited experience of police bureaucracy, this seems unlikely (and also unwise)! Still, it made for a gripping story!
I’d recommend this series to those who enjoy police procedurals with a twist – the three strands (Ian, Geraldine and the murderer) work well together and this is an engaging read. I’ll read more books by Leigh Russell in the future.
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Header photo by Francois Olwage on Unsplash.
Great review, Kate! I’m glad you enjoyed this police procedural novel. I’m not super into reading about gangs but I think I’d also be fascinated by Ian’s investigations too.