June 1, 2008
When a tramp is burned to death in an abandoned building in Whitebridge, Det. Chief Insp. Charlie Woodend faces one of the most difficult cases of his career. Finding no clues or motive, he and his team soon suspect that a power-hungry Hitler wannabe who spews hatred for foreigners and tramps is behind the murder. As in all of her books, Spencer here creates a case of confusion and suspense leading up to a wholly unexpected ending. This one is guaranteed to shock readers. For all collections.
Copyright 2008 Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.
Starred review from May 1, 2008
Spencer offers up another intriguing and thoroughly enjoyable puzzler in her popular DCI Charlie Woodend series. When a local vagrant is burned to death by a sadistic killer, Woodend and his team are charged with discovering whodunit. But Woodends boss is reluctant to provide the extra personnel necessary to work the case; Woodend finds himself going head-to-head with a powerful local politician; his once close-knit team of coppers is argumentative and jealous; and journalist Elizabeth Driver is out to prove that the local police are incompetent and that Woodend is the worst of the lot. As usual, Woodend has his eye on the prize and doesnt care whom he offends or upsets as long as he finds the killer. This is a cracking good series, with this latest entry quite possibly being the best yet (in large part because it contains a shocking ending as unthinkable as it is unexpected).Spencer perfectly captures the sometimes dull routine of police work while offering up strong but flawed characters and engaging plots that always hold together without calling attention to their infrastructure.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2008, American Library Association.)