Book Review: The Business of Dying

Reviewed By: Woodstock - RAM

The Business of Dying     Amazon US PB Amazon US HC Amazon UK PB Amazon UK HC Amazon Canada PB Amazon Canada HC
Simon Kernick
Class/Genre:   Mystery
Series: Denis Milne (aka Mick [Marcus] Kane) # 1

Dennis Milne is a cop, and like a lot of cops worldwide, he moonlights for extra money. What makes Milne different is that he moonlights as a hitman for a wealthy crime boss, dispatching bothersome associates who have begun to know too much, or demand too much.

Problem is, Milne's extracurricular work puts HIM at risk to be dispatched in due time, and Milne knows it. As his career as a hard working cop begins to draw to a close, Milne is working on the murder of a prostitute, found with her throat slashed. At the same time, he maneuvers to stay alive, spotting surveillance teams, hiding cash, placing phone calls from telephone booths, obtaining extra weapons. Eventually the police investigation into the young woman's murder and Milne's vulnerable position in the crime organization become entwined with each other.

Kernick serves up one of the most harrowing chase sequences I have ever read, and while we can't exactly like Milne, we find ourselves hoping he will succeed and stay alive.

The US edition is plagued with numerous minor type setting errors, all too common of late. On at least one page I finally realized that at least one entire sentence and perhaps a whole paragraph are missing. These disconcerting little goofs begin to interfere with reading pleasure.

Woodstock - RAM

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