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The thrilling new Skinner mystery by Scotland's Crime Master

About the Author

Quintin Jardine gave up the life of a political spin doctor for the more morally acceptable world of murder and mayhem. Happily married, he hides from critics and creditors in secret locations in Scotland and Spain.

Reviews

When Thomas Zale, a former organized crime leader and now a successful businessman, commits suicide, newly appointed Edinburgh Chief Constable Skinner, who knew the man, wants a through investigation. Skinner's niggling doubt leads to a number of separate lines of inquiry, which in turn result in several murders. VERDICT In his 20th series entry (after Fatal Last Words), Jardine displays his mastery at following the various police detectives during their questioning of people while adding details of their private lives. The result is a perfect read for those who love the police procedural genre. Ed McBain and Dell Shannon give similar attention to the lives of the officers. (c) Copyright 2010. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.

Soap opera threatens to trump police procedure in Jardine's 20th mystery featuring Bob Skinner, now Scotland's chief constable (after 2009's superior Fatal Last Words). When entrepreneur and thug Tomas Zaliukas turns up on a frozen hill outside Edinburgh, the top of his head blown off and a sawn-off shotgun in his right hand, Skinner and his team investigate to rule out foul play. In the first of many coincidences, Zaliukas's widow, Regine, whose decampment to France might have led the dead man to kill himself, places Skinner's daughter, Alexis, a newly made partner in her law firm, in charge of Zaliukas's companies, which include a string of massage parlors. Meanwhile, professional thieves are targeting golf courses. The merger of the disparate plot lines may strike some readers as forced, and newcomers will find the byzantine backstories of Skinner's underlings and their personal relationships heavy slogging. (Dec.) (c) Copyright PWxyz, LLC. All rights reserved.