For journalist John Kelly, the violent death of local celebrity and rock superstar Scott Silver promises to be the best story he’s seen since his days on Fleet Street. With a little work he may even turn it into the second chance he’s been looking for all these years.
DCI Karen Meadows isn’t so sure her old friend Kelly is seeing clearly. The prime suspect lies dead next to Silver, and his alluring widow, Angel, claims she killed the intruder in self-defense. Wherever the truth lies, Karen knows the hordes of tabloid press, not to mention her own bosses, have their own distinct agenda.
Tabloid journalism at its best when reporter John Kelly cannot let things be. Instead he finds himself embroiled in a convoluted situation filled with plenty of deception at every turn. Kelly knows the answer to the mystery lies with the beautiful Angel Silver, but to fall deeper into her bewitching charm is a dangerous thing. She is demanding a high price for an exclusive interview, and one wonders just how far John Kelly willing to go to find the truth. His own destruction?
The solution to the double murder isn't exactly in secret code since it happens fairly early in the book, which makes John Kelly's dangerous liasons with the Widow Silver a little confusing. On the surface it seems to be a black and white situation, and the reader knows John Kelly will end up in a very bad place if he continues down this particular road.
I felt I was missing out on a huge backstory and that was a constant niggling problem. To review this in its proper context would require delving into the DCI Meadows series for any answers as to John's behavior and past. Since I'm picking it up as an offshoot of this series, I had to go on a little faith.
Outside of those questions, the book is excellent. There are quite a few twists and turns to keep the reader interest, and there is an almost palpable overabundance of suspense as the story comes to a close with yet another murder.
British mystery has never really held much attraction for me, but this is well worth the cover price.
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Hardcover: 368 pages
Publisher: St. Martin's Minotaur (May 16, 2006)
ISBN: 0312339488