In Witness 8, written by Steve Cavanagh, we see the return of lawyer Eddie Flynn (published by Headline, priced at £16.99). This time, Flynn is standing for a man who has been indicted for the homicide of his neighbour in a posh neighbourhood serviced by loyal and diligent staff ensuring a seamless lifestyle for the rich. Ruby, one of these indispensable workers, unbeknownst to all, has been the spectator to this act of murder. She is a puzzling narrator, whose unfolding narrative suggests an undisclosed scheme.
In this quest to exonerate his client, Flynn is accompanied by familiar characters from the series – Judge Harry Ford and the unreadable investigator Melissa Bloch, among others. Cavanagh takes pleasure in utilizing elements of pulp noir, casting law enforcement as at least two-faced and often painting criminals like hitman Mr Christmas and mafia chauffer Tony Two F**ks as colourful characters you wouldn’t mind sharing a booth with. Flynn’s crew certainly provides entertainment, and this mixture of courtroom drama and psychological suspense makes a great contribution to the series.
With a complex and satisfyingly intricate plot, Anna Pitoniak’s The Helsinki Affair transitions speedily between late cold war Helsinki and modern Rome, London, and Washington, DC, and is available through No Exit for £9.99. Chief character, Amanda Cole, who is the CIA’s deputy station chief in Rome, registered as an attache at the US embassy, receives a tip-off about a planned assassination of US Senator Vogel. Despite her boss disregarding the warning, the senator is seemingly killed by a stroke.
This unexpected death unveils a weave of secrets and betrayals, both personal and national. Her father, Charlie, was a CIA operative in Helsinki, obsessively engrossed with his Russian adversaries, eventually to the detriment of his marriage and career. As Amanda stumbles upon her father’s name in the dead senator’s notes about an ongoing Russian conspiracy, unforeseen repercussions from the past make their way into her present, masterfully managed by Pitoniak.
The questions raised about the Western world’s silence on the distressing situation in Palestine are usually not considered by many distinguished figures in Western society.
Tom Bower’s book, entitled “Beckham in the Spotlight”, is a grim tale filled with allegations and jeering comments. Historian Diarmaid Ferriter provides an intimate examination of the period from 1914 to 1924 of the Irish Republican Brotherhood.
In her writings, author Karin Slaughter aims to illustrate the far-reaching consequences that a single act of violence can instigate, thereby illustrating the extent to which such acts can transform people’s lives. “The Helsinki Affair” tells a gripping tale that subtly implies that despite the apparent downfall of empires, global political dynamics remain largely unchanged. This is depicted in the character Amanda’s interaction with a character who asserts that the continuation of the cold war was facilitated by a few influential individuals who relished the thrill of the game and the concept of an adversary and a cause to fight for.
“Broiler”, an intense third novel by Eli Cranor, an Edgar Award recipient, presents a strong narrative predicted on four central characters grappling with their own stressors. A trait found in many crime novels is the immediate introduction to the plot, but rarely are these stories combined with profound emotional outcomes. “Broiler” is unique in its ability to evoke both of these feelings concurrently.
Gabby Menchaca and Edwin Saucedo, two illegal workers in their mid-20s are pushed to the limit by their gruelling experience in an Arkansan poultry factory. The harsh working conditions they endure ultimately lead to Gabby’s miscarriage and the ensuing distress that nearly cripples them both. The narrative also follows the lives of their supervisors, Luke and Mimi Jackson.
When Edwin is abruptly fired, he retaliates by abducting Luke and Mimi’s young son in a moment of desperate fury, leading to a tragic outcome. Gabby is the first to sense the disaster, as indicated by a muffled noise in her ears, serving as a disguise for an unpleasant reality she is already aware of – their predicament is certain to end in agony. Cranor evokes a sense of realism in this chaotic situation by allowing his fully realised characters to grapple with their quickly changing situations. This causes even their misguided choices to carry an emotional weight, as they are rightly triggered by fear, anger, pain, and disorientation.
Cranor’s depiction of his characters is profound, quietly empathetic, and skillfully maintains their intricacies. Particularly noticeable is the sincere portrayal of Mimi and Gabby, who serve as the fundamental focus of this exceptional novel, from its captivating onset to its touching conclusion.
Havoc, the second instalment in Deborah J Ledford’s series centred around Eva “Lightning Dance” Duran, a Pueblo tribal police officer, sets in motion with a bank heist in Taos, New Mexico. The villain, a hustler based in Chicago, fires at a city policeman and evades arrest. Following the incident, jurisdictional disputes arise among Pueblo police, Taos police and the FBI. While they’re embroiled in their disagreements, the Pueblo borders lamentably become susceptible to violence and shock: on a school outing, a child from the reservation brandishes a firearm to deter a racist tormentor and is fatally shot by a museum security guard.
The deceased child and the robber are promptly connected via their 3D-printed ‘ghost guns’, fabricated by local educator Tomás Salas. His objectives to assist the Pueblo, mirroring those of many outsiders, tragically turn out to be harmful. While Duran tracks the havoc caused by Salas’s weapons, the tribal authorities endeavour to support their community in mourning and safeguard the reservation from further harm. Stringing these narrative elements together, Ledford successfully culminates this character-focused, well-paced investigation.
Supplementing the robustly portrayed characters, many grappling with gnawing guilt or remorse, Ledford seamlessly intertwines Duran’s probes and Pueblo customs within an absorbing storyline. In doing so, she manages to tie the investigations in Havoc not merely to each other, but also to previous generations, rendering the novel with remarkable depth.
James Lee Burke’s latest novel, Clete, (retailing at £22 by Orion) introduces a fresh twist in the popular Dave Robicheaux series. Narration by Dave’s ally, Private Investigator Clete Purcel, takes centre stage, marking a first in the series. With Robicheaux still actively involved, Burke deepens the richness of the characters’ histories, drawing readers further into the narrative as the duo face off a plethora of racists, drug smugglers, rotten law enforcers and human traffickers, united in their mutual mediocrity.
The scenic and tranquil Iberia Parish, despite its charm, been a sanctuary from human self-deception or brutality. Burke’s 24th Robicheaux offering paints a poetic picture of this adversity, with its heavy plot unfolding as Clete becomes the target of despicable thugs, including an aspiring Nazi. As they strive to shield others from this group, Clete and Dave stumble upon a conspiracy helmed by moneyed right-wing extremists, and a lethal, enigmatic substance on the FBI’s radar.
This multi-layered novel, imbued with a surreal and dreamlike ambience even during Clete’s conscious moments, thanks to his hallucinations of Joan of Arc, emphasises a conflict between the harsh realities of the world and the intricacies of the intangible. The book encapsulates a world that, as Clete contends, is filled with more madness than logic. The characterisation and environment are commendably drawn, enduring despite the shifting times. Clete is a testament to James Lee Burke’s standing among today’s leading crime novelists.