Review: Phoenix

This is another entry from Orion's cabal of debut novels marketed as ‘New Blood'. This one is a dark police procedural introducing DC Karen Sharpe and features a vividly realised backdrop - the moors and desolation of the Yorkshire and as far removed from Betty's Tearooms as is it physically possible. Karen Sharpe is drinking to block out the memories of her undercover past with colleagues DS Phil Leach and his attractive informer Fiona Mitchell. Karen and DS Leach are working on the drug investigation - Operation Anvil. Leach takes her home, disgusted at her drunkenness. Like the lyrics ofHotel California - 'some drink to remember, some drink to forget', Karen's excuse is the latter due to painful memories which are incomplete, and which she drinks to keep submerged.

In the morning, the bodies of Leach and Mitchell are discovered in what seems like the involvement of professional hit-men. Karen may well have been the last people they saw before the hitmen came for them. Karen sees linkages to Operation Anvil's prime suspects - drug dealers Mark Coates and Luke Varley. Detective Chief Superintendent John Munro pulls out all the stops and Operation Phoenix starts the investigation to get to the bottom of the professional hits in darkest Yorkshire. Thus begins the chase, and no rock is left unturned. Munro focuses on the drug connection, while Karen Sharpe starts to understand that tendrils from her past are linking themselves to the case. The secrets from eight years ago are now ready to come back to Karen Sharpe, and secrets that she'll have to finally face up to. The storytelling technique is like the sanding down of a rough plinth of wood, because as each layer is smoothed, another layer of secrets becomes revealed. The book reeks of authenticity, as the characters appear as real as one would see in any northern police-squad room, and the canteen culture is as strong as ever.

A very black and haunting police procedural with a strong and enigmatic lead, and one that I am glad to report is going to be a series character. It comes as no surprise to discover that Connor is a criminal lawyer who works with the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) working in cases that are drug-related. If your taste runs to dark police-based thrillers, then this slice of darkest-Yorkshire may well be to your taste. The Pennies and moors have scarcely felt more threatening.

Reprinted with permission. Do Not repost without permission from the author, Ali Karim - RAM

Book Review: Phoenix