I make no secret of the fact that I am a big fan of this series and also, probably, maybe, a little bit in love with Max Wolfe. Usual series rules apply with this one being the fifth in the series and also with a few inbetweenie shorts, although the main story is self contained, please do try start from book one and read in order. I think it is more important with this book than maybe the others as there is quite a bit of personal stuff going on for Max here. In fact, I got a bit over-involved emotionally and actually had to put the book down for a little while at one point just for a break. Not that this personal stuff overshadows the main case which is right up to Mr Parson's usual standards, it just complements some of what is going on there too.
So, the book starts with a bang, literally as Max is caught up in an incident. Investigations point to potential culprits and possible method and Max find himself involved in their arrest. But things don't quite go according to plan and the wheels are set for a really rather convoluted and interconnected journey that follows which blurs the line between guilty and innocent. With Max being blamed for something which leads to a barrage of threats things are not all rosy on his home front either, especially when his ex-wife, and part-time mother to their daughter Scout, rears her ugly head once again and makes certain demands. Can Max hold it together enough to cut through the noise and bring the guilty to justice without too much personal cost?
I've said that this book was emotional for me. If I have to be honest, it was maybe too emotional. At times it was too hard to read and I had to walk away which I am not really used to doing with a crime fiction book. It was like wave after wave of one thing after another and I really wanted to shout at the author to just give the guy a break.
The themes contained within this book, especially the home-grown terrorist aspect, are quite topical at the moment and I have seen them creep into quite a lot of series, both new and established. Sometimes done well, others notsomuch. Here, what happens and the aftermath of it all just really fits with Max and the way this series has developed over the past 4 books, plus shorts. Max is the kind of character that lends himself to more personal cases. His humanity shines through, even if at times it does make him misjudge situations. His grit and tenacity is also second to none. Yes he makes mistakes, yes he bends (breaks) the rules but he's Max Wolfe and that's how he gets results. The end justifies the means - that'll be his epitaph.
The plot is, at times, a bit convoluted and there was quite a lot for me to hold on to whilst I was reading, waiting for it all to slot into place, but by the end of the book it was all pretty well sewn up to my satisfaction. There were the usual red herrings, dead ends, false leads and a bit of duplicitous behaviour that you would expect in this genre of book but all handled very well as per usual. We also had all the usual suspects cast wise and also the obligatory visit to The Black Museum - something I always look forward to in these books.
All in all, another great addition to one of my favourite series. Roll on book six, or if that's too far away, I'll take book 5.5 in the mean time.
My thanks go to the Publisher and Netgalley for the chance to read this book.