Review: A thrilling, complex but not-too-gritty crime novel!
Rating: 5 out of 5
Date: 03 22, 2014
With each new crime fiction novel, these two British brothers continue to get better and better! I could not put this one down; their main character, Detective Chief Inspector Morton, has earned a prominent spot on my ‘favorite crime fiction characters’ shelf.In Cleaver Square, DCI Morton’s integrity is tested on all levels: professionally, personally and humanly. With help from old cohorts (and an interesting new one), Morton takes on a case that some doubt even needs further veracity beyond it being an accidental death. The death of a child and a crime scene with no clues, in itself, is daunting yet, when Morton’s doggedness turns up subtle clues involving child trafficking, the danger element skyrockets. Political machinations, legal maneuverings, spousal mistrust and possible financial ruin due to identity theft are not enough to dissuade Morton from bringing the case to resolution.I really enjoyed the intricate composition of detail imbedded in the plot. The Campbell brothers gave me just enough technicalities to assuage my need to comprehend the forensics and legal machinations inherent in a criminal investigation. I like to ‘walk in the shoes’ of the characters and, in Cleaver Square, the authors skillfully scripted the characters’ dialogues and thoughts with a flair that made each scene come to life for me. Not being from the U.K., my read of a British story is greatly enhanced when details as to persons, places or things are vivid in description. The authors expertly wove such details into the storyline without distracting me from the plot; it felt as if I were there, in and around London.Cleaver Square will not disappoint those who, like me, enjoy a thrilling, complex, but not-too-gritty crime fiction.