The Inquisitor’s Key By Jefferson Bass

Only when I had read the whole book and then the slip cover did I realize that these books are collaboration between two men – their surnames being Jefferson and Bass. Not only a clever idea but a very catchy name too. One is a forensic anthropologist and the other a writer. They do a fabulous job together and the other thing I didn’t realize was that this is their seventh Body Farm book. I will now be going back and reading them from the beginning.

This novel is a story that takes place in the present but also the past. We go between the 14th Century as well as modern day. As you can imagine from the title, the Catholic Church is involved to quite a degree as well. Some bones have been found in France Continue reading “The Inquisitor’s Key By Jefferson Bass”

The Leopard By Jo Nesbo

This mystery begins with two victims, young women, who are found murdered in Oslo. They had drowned, in their own blood. Charming start right. Jo Nesbo keeps on coming up with these extraordinary serial killer stories. I don’t know if that’s brilliant or just extremely creepy. As these murders are publicized by the media the heat gets turned up for the police. Continue reading “The Leopard By Jo Nesbo”

The Impossible Dead By Ian Rankin

This is the next book in the life of Malcolm Fox – he of the office of the Complaints or Internal Affairs that seeks to keep the police force’s noses clean. Fox and his team are called out to investigate allegations against a copper who had been prosecuted for taking favours from girls instead of nicking them (booking them). When they actually arrive the accused, Paul Carter, has already been found guilty and was awaiting discipline. Continue reading “The Impossible Dead By Ian Rankin”

The Sins of the Father By Jeffrey Archer

As a long time reader of Mr. Archer I was again thrilled with another of his books. This is a sequel to a previous novel but honestly, I had forgotten that. I should really have re-read the previous book but alas found myself constantly checking the family tree at the front of the story. This book is a standalone but makes way more sense if you’ve read the previous one. Just saying. Continue reading “The Sins of the Father By Jeffrey Archer”

A Drop of the Hard Stuff By Lawrence Block

I am a huge fan of Lawrence Block’s Bernie Rhodenbarr mysteries but had never read one of his Matthew Scudder books. I read Ian Rankin’s books and follow him on Twitter and he highly recommended this book – well I know why now. The book starts with a couple of old men in a pub in Hell’s Kitchen and they are reminiscing about the old days. They have basically lived their lives on either side of the law and they get to talking about someone the cop knew from his childhood days in the Bronx. This other man, Jack, went the way of the crook and even though he didn’t cross paths with Scudder as a criminal, he did later on whilst trying to make amends as part of his 12 step programme. Continue reading “A Drop of the Hard Stuff By Lawrence Block”