This is the first book in Robert Bryndza's new 'Kate Marshall' series. Bryndza is also the author of the popular 'Detective Erika Foster' crime novels. *****  In 1995 Detective Constable Kate Marshall of London's Metropolitan Police Service is on the team searching for the 'The Nine Elms Cannibal' - a serial killer who bites chunks from the teenage girls he murders. The killer's fourth victim was just found, and like the other dead girls, has a rope around her neck with a monkey's fist knot.  Kate's boss, and occasional lover, Detective Chief Inspector Peter Conway drives her to the crime scene and home, and accidentally drops a set of keys into her shopping bag.  At home, Kate finds the keys, which are attached to a rope tied with a monkey's fist knot. Holy crap! DCI Conway is the Nine Elms Cannibal! Conway comes back for his keys, and realizing he's been exposed, almost kills Kate before she clocks him and calls 999.  Kate is savaged during Conway's trial because she slept with him, and she subsequently loses her career, gives birth to Conway's son, and starts drinking heavily. ***** Jump ahead fifteen years to 2010 and cannibal Peter is in a prison for the criminally insane.  Kate is a recovering alcoholic who teaches criminology at a university in Ashdean, on the south coast of England. Kate's drinking made her an unsuitable mother, and Kate's (and Conway's) 14-year-old son Jake lives with Kate's mum in London. Kate and Jake skype frequently, though, and see each other on school holidays.  Kate frets about Jake being the child of a serial killer because the boy may have inherited bad genes. Moreover, though Peter is forbidden to contact Jake now, he may try to get in touch when his son comes of age at sixteen. Kate and her mum try to protect Jake by curtailing his access to social media, but their attempts aren't completely successful. Aside from worrying about Jake, Kate's life is going well. She likes to swim in the ocean; gets along well with her Alcoholics Anonymous sponsor Myra, who lives next door; and relishes her teaching job, where she talks about real cases. In an ironic coincidence, Kate's school presentation about her brush with 'The Nine Elms Cannibal' is immediately followed by an email from the parents of a girl named Caitlyn Murray, who disappeared twenty years ago, at the age of sixteen.  The Murrays have come to believe their daughter was an early victim of Peter Conway, and they ask Kate to look for Caitlyn's remains.....so they can bury her. At about the same time, the police become aware that a copycat cannibal, who calls himself a 'A FAN' of Peter Conway, has begun to mimic his hero's crimes. The copycat abducts teenage girls, bites and kills them, and leaves them in dump sites similar to those used by his idol.  Kate and her 21-year-old university assistant, Tristan Harper, start to look into Caitlyn's disappearance, and their investigation inevitably overlaps the copycat case.  This annoys Detective Chief Inspector Varia Campbell, who's in charge of the copycat inquiries, and she tries to freeze Kate and Tristan out.  However, Kate and Tristan discover helpful clues, and - with a nudge from DCI Campbell - call themselves private detectives, have cards printed up, and jump into the copycat probe.  (This is a bit dubious, since private detectives in England need to be licensed.) Kate is so disturbed by the search for Caitlyn - and the grisly copycat murders - that she's tempted to drink.....which would scuttle her entire life. The book switches back and forth between the detectives' investigations; Peter Conway's activities in prison; and the actions of the copycat killer. We come to learn that the copycat is able to contact Peter via his mother Enid, who's permitted to visit her son without a glass barrier. Enid is a seductive, well-preserved woman who'd do anything for her beloved son.....with whom she has a disturbing relationship.  (Once again this is highly questionable. Enid is strip-searched by prison guards multiple times, but they allow her to bring in bags of sweets THAT GO UNCHECKED. And when Enid's 'hearing aid' mysteriously switches ears - which is noted by a prison guard - it doesn't trigger alarm bells. Are we supposed to believe this?) Peter is angry at Kate for unmasking him 15 years ago, and he plots all kinds of revenge. Peter is aided in this endeavor by the copycat, who is hatching a sinister plot. In the meantime, the copycat is happily abducting and killing girls, and the torture he inflicts is described in lurid detail. So if you're squeamish, this isn't the book for you. For me this thriller is just so-so. The story is engaging, but there are too many unlikely details.....and the relationship between Peter and Enid is batshit crazy. It's hard to believe that someone as disturbed as Peter could have functioned normally and risen to the rank of DCI. On the upside, the characters are interesting, and the copycat's plan - though it stretches credibility - is inventive. I'd probably read the next book in the series, in hopes that the kinks are worked out. Thanks to Netgalley, the author (Robert Bryndza), and the publisher (Thomas & Mercer) for a copy of the book. Rating: 3 stars | ||
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