Bleed a River Deep (Inspector Devlin Mystery)
Imagine a police report written up by a careful, methodical copper. No deductive dazzlement, just a steady massing of detail until the case has a life—and an emotional force—of its own. That’s exactly the feeling one gets from reading this third installment of McGilloway’s procedural series built around Inspector Devlin of Ireland’s National Police Service. Devlin goes to Mass, loves his family, has trouble with his boss. When his assignment to protect a visiting American politician goes haywire, Devlin takes his chewing-out and keeps asking questions. Soon he’s uncovered a money-laundering scheme, adultery, fraud, murder, and a really nasty human-trafficking business. Yes, they’re all connected. Devlin doesn’t punch anybody. He whispers an act of contrition before the guns come out. Mostly he tugs at all the loose ends until the answers come. McGilloway could have developed the character of Inspector Devlin’s wife more, and the Irish police system might have been explained a little better for American readers. But this is a satisfying, no-nonsense police procedural in the classic Ed McBain mold. --Don Crinklaw