DCI Helen Birch is still on a phased return to work after sustaining serious injuries twice in the line of duty ( and in the last two books in the series). Fed up of endless paperwork and suffering from a disturbing recurring dream, when she is approached by an old friend of her mother’s for help with finding her missing foster daughter, she wants to help, but is sidelined when the case is given to another colleague, and neither of them seem to be taking it seriously. Linh is Vietnamese and had been a victim of sex trafficking, from which she had escaped, but rather than pursue this line of enquiry they assume she has chosen to disappear rather than go through the difficult asylum seeking process when she reaches 18. When a woman claiming to be psychic contacts the police claiming to have seen a vision of a kidnapped girl, Birch, though sceptical, finds herself drawn in, putting herself in direct opposition to her boss. This is a slightly unusual take on a police procedural as most of the “evidence” in the case comes from the psychic, although the suspense and the unravelling of the plot still grips. What I found interesting was the psychological emphasis, both on Birch’s feelings about her work and her loss of confidence, and about the understanding the psychic, Bee, gains from “knowing” the reasons behind the behaviour of those she encounters. A critical eye is cast over the prejudices and assumptions endemic in the police force which can stand in the way of resolving crimes, and which have left Birch increasingly disillusioned, although balance is somewhat restored by the empathy and skill of her friend, Ds Amy Kato. I really hope this wasn’t the final outing for Birch and co- Edinburgh needs her!

Another strong police procedural from Claire Askew, a real page turner with the usual excellent writing.

Missing girls and a psychic nobody believes sets the scene here, the plot is clever and very entertaining.

Characters and story superb, overall a most excellent read.

Line of Sight is the latest boom in the DI Helen Birch series and it is another enjoyable police procedural with a slight twist which keeps you interested throughout.

Wow... a fantastic read it was a true page-turner... I could not put it down. I was fully engrossed right until the very end.

Holy smokes... I never saw the end of this book coming. It was fast-paced and kept me enthralled! This book you certainly won’t will not be disappointed!

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ stars