This is the second in series and although the main story contained herein is readable as a stand-alone, to get the very best from it in terms of character development and backstory, it is best to have read the opener, Salt Lane, first. Actually, you could go the whole hog and also read The Birdwatcher which could be categorised as a kind of prequel.
OK, so this book took me all round the houses and back again with all that was going on. And I have to say that I was in the dark for the majority. Confused but very much enjoying the ride!
We have two boys who try their had at petty theft of mobile phones. Their first attempt is comical but the succeed with their second and are a bit chuffed with themselves. Until that is it becomes evident that they have stolen from the wrong person and they want their property back and are willing to do anything, and I mean anything, to get it! Meanwhile, we have the discovery of a decomposing arm in an exhibit in an art gallery. DS Alexandra Cupidi is tasked to get to the bottom of this strange occurrence, insisting that it is more than just the joke that her fellow officers think it is?
There is so much more going on in this book and it's all a bit convoluted and too interconnected to even hint at where we actually end up, for fear of spoilers. Needless to say that we have the obligatory twists, turns, about faces, and dead ends throughout. All of which are so very well crafted and integrated into the narrative perfectly so the book as a whole flowed very well.
Cupidi is an interesting character. She has her past and that has shaped her present. In this book, we also see a lot more of her young colleague Jill Ferriter and some of the banter between them was great - I do love a good bit of banter in a book, especially when in a crime book. It balances the book and stops it from becoming too dark, especially when the crimes depicted are nasty.
Other characters were just as well described, especially the two young lads. Their parts were interesting and intriguing to read, especially as I had no idea where they fitted into the big picture for half the time.
But, when we did get to the crux of it all, when all was finally revealed, I had to take a pause, sit back and applaud the author for a job well done. A story well plotted and executed. So many books I read these days are a bit samey and easy to guess ahead of time so it was refreshing to find something a little more challenging.
All in all, a cracking read that hit the ground running, didn't let up throughout and left me satisfied at the end. My thanks go to the Publisher and Netgalley for the chance to read this book.