Review: Dull
Rating: 2 out of 5
Date: 02 23, 2013
This dull novel is a police procedural populated with unlikeable and inept characters. The story holds some promise. A young mother is lured to her death by an internet love interest. Scott Cullen, a young and ambitious Scottish DC, is called to investigate. The woman's arrogant banker ex-husband seems a likely suspect. But Cullen has some niggling doubts even as the body count rises. The constellation of brutally murdered women revolves around the ex. Cullen is pressured by his Superior Bain to support the case against the ex. His future with the police department is at risk and Cullen must deal with conflicting emotions concerning his career choices, his comely colleague and securing justice.I did not care for this book. The police are stupid, lazy and incompetent, mishandling and missing crucial evidence. Bain, the superviser, is insulting, rude and incompetent. Cullen isn't much better demonstrating the unsavory combination of self-righteousness, anger and arrogance. The victims are throw aways. The reader knows them only as victims, not as people whose loss should be mourned. I identified the doer at first appearance. There were too many inconsequential characters and the Scottish slang was at times hard to decipher.I slogged though this novel to the bvitter and unsatisfying end. The story did pick up a bit at the end but not enough to justify the investment of time reading it.