Despite taking place at Christmas, this is the least festive thriller you will find. This is a taut, grimy police case introducing DI Kerry Cox hunting a serial killer. The plot involves a boys' care home and a 'performance' pedophile ring that goes right to the top. Just enough detail to rub your face in it, and the most grim story at Christmas.
DI Kerry Cox is awaiting an inquest on a previous sex crime case (where a boy was killed, maybe by police error) when a man jumps out of his window on Boxing Day. William Radley was an ex-Met Police Chief and the scene attracts the attention of the Ministry of Justice. A simple suicide they say. Closed case.
Kerry disagrees, then finds the man Radley spent Christmas dinner with had also just died, respected child psychologist, Dr. Allis. On the side, she investigates with reporter friend Greg Wilson, aided by computer geek DiMacedo. Her boss DCI Pete Naysmith is an alcoholic who blocks her all the way.
Before he died, Radley sent flowers to another deceased friend, Verity Holcombe. All three worked at the boys' home in the 80s - someone is perhaps meting their own justice. Some of the boys are tracked down, now grown criminals, and Cox learns the others who ran the home may be next on the death list. With a direct order to stop, including suspension, Cox is too late to save one of them and the other is too high to reach.
Interspersed are flashback accounts of Robbie and his younger brother Stan, two boys trying to make it out of care alive, who provide most of the details of sexual and physical abuse. Robbie is trying to figure out the mysterious goings-on at the home, but has no idea how organized and pervasive it is.
While I found the theme distasteful (especially at Christmas), I have to admit Jackson Sharp pulled off a tight, exciting thriller. The pace, the discoveries, and the characters kept me turning the pages. I read a lot of thrillers, and this actually delivered on the mystery and a bang up finale.
A warning if you are looking for Christmas mysteries - this is absolutely grim.
UK author Sharp has another holiday themed thriller "Trick Or Treat." I would read another Kerry Cox mystery, but I think this was a one off.
2014 / Tradeback / 380 pages
I found the theme distasteful (especially at Christmas)
I agree. Not for me.