Book Review: Blood and Honey

Reviewed By: Catherine Thompson - RAM

Blood and Honey     Amazon US HC Amazon UK PB Amazon UK HC Amazon Canada HC
Graham Hurley
Class/Genre:   Mystery   Police Procedural
Series: Detective Inspector Joe Faraday # 6
Orion, $24.95 trade paperback, 342 pages

The discovery of a headless corpse washed up on the cliffs of the Isle of Wight begins Detective Inspector Joe Faraday’s latest case. The corpse has plainly been at sea for some months, with all the damage that entails, and identification is impossible. But rumours of a young delivery driver who has apparently gone missing following a confrontation with a local nursing home owner with a violent temper point the investigation towards a murder enquiry.

At the same time, Detective Constable Paul Winter becomes involved with a beautiful young prostitute he encounters at the scene of a drugs bust, which evolves into an investigation into a powerful local businessman. Winter finds his investigation hampered by vicious, debilitating migraines, the implications of which are beginning to frighten him.

Faraday and Winter, in their separate cases, must dig through the layers of deceit and sordid history, which takes them from Nigeria and Bosnia to Portsmouth, a sad old naval city that resists any attempt at change. What they discover may ruin lives, or save them.

I’ve been a fan of Hurley ever since Angels Passing. Blood and Honey bears a passing resemblance to Deadlight, in that there are military figures involved, but this book goes even deeper into the psyche of those who have faced combat. Hurley seems to just get better and better with each book. His characters deepen as the series develops; Winter especially has developed certain nuances. I didn’t like him much in Angels Passing; by now, though, Hurley has brought a humanity to the man that seemed to be missing then.

The Faraday novels are among the best police procedurals out there, and Hurley one of the best writers.

Catherine Thompson - RAM

Reprinted with permission. Do Not repost without permission from the author, Catherine Thompson - RAM