review written & read live on the bookshow by Corinna christopher 4th Dec 2014
The main story in
this crime novel is the disappearance of two Asian university students Nazim
and Rafi. In spite of investigations
seven years ago by the Police and Secret Services no trace of them has been
found. The informed opinion is that they
have left the country after belonging to some terrorist organisation.
This slightly
complex novel is different from the usual since it is about the Severn Vale
District Coroner, Jenny Cooper.
Separated from her husband and living with her schoolboy son Ross she is
a professional and dedicated officer and during the book we are told much about
the details of a Coroner's court and how proceedings are carried out. Unfortunately Jenny does have psychological
problems and with the help of a psychiatrist and medication usually manages to
cope.
The mother of Nazim
Mrs. Jamal comes to Jenny for help.
After seven years her son is presumed dead and there needs to be a court
hearing to decide this. Mrs Jamal is
convinced her son has done no wrong and would never disappear and not contact
her. Jenny decides to look further into
the case.
There now follows
much detective work and lots of new characters.
To add to the mix there is a naked dead body found on the river estuary,
a missing young girl working at the local nuclear power station and a rogue
lawyer cum solicitor McAvoy who represented Mrs. Jamal. In addition we have witnesses who claim to
have seen the men on a train and crossing the Severn bridge. Later we have the death of Mrs. Jamal in
mysterious circumstances and apparently contaminated with nuclear matter.,
identified as Caesium 137. A dosimeter
is used to determine this fact. (have never heard of this gadget!!)
Jenny attempts to
unravel all of this and does eventually establish the truth, at the same time
as trying to deal with her personal problems .
This book is full
of interesting facts and I liked that it
is set around Bristol. I did feel that
there was rather too much about Jenny's mental state of mind and also the
interview she had with the psychiatrist at the time I thought was not
relevant. However, at the end of the
book there is a startling revelation which could maybe indicate a further book! This was a good read and I enjoyed it though
the reader does need to concentrate throughout.
The author is a
screenwriter, producer and criminal barrister.
His debut novel “The Coroner” was very successful.
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