Sean and Daniel Campbell

The sixth in a series but I think any of them could be read alone. I jumped in with a free book part way through - the classic loss-leader!

The Evolution of a Serial Killer

Amazon.com link

My review -

DCI Morton’s been side-lined to a teaching role by a new boss he clashed with years ago. He and his group of trainee detectives are discussing the perfect murder. Then similar murders start to crop up, each at 10:00 p.m. on consecutive Saturday nights. It appears that one of the students is challenging Morton, the detective with, to date, the best clear-up rate in the Met. The last murder could be a deadly incident affecting many people. Time is ticking.

The story builds in tension as time passes and the possibility of a major terrorist-style attack comes closer. Morton’s team’s analysis of the possible suspects is fascinating in its pros and cons. Someone has a grudge and we watch it played out to an exciting conclusion. A very good read.

Sean and Daniel Campbell

Another in the DCI Morton Series. How refreshing to have a happily married DCI without a drink problem!

Missing Persons

Amazon.com link

My review -

DCI Morton and his team are looking into the death of a man who lived on a narrowboat. His girlfriend, Faye, has just come out of prison, and when he goes missing after an evening with friends, and is later found dead, she and the guests are suspects as they were the last to see him alive. Rafferty, new to the team, knows the girl from years ago, which adds to the intrigue.

The arguments for guilt or innocence in each case are compelling and contradictory and it’s a really tangled web. It’s an exciting read, especially the culmination. This is one of a series but I’ve found they each read well as a stand-alone.

Sean and Daniel Campbell

You can read this series in any order. they are very well constructed and stand alone.

The Patient Killer

Amazon.com

My review -

This is the fourth in the DCI Morton series. I’ve read the second and this and it’s a real case of the stories standing well on their own. In this book, the body of a woman turns up on her husband’s grave which she visited every day. She’d had a lung removed. Other bodies are found later, each with some part of their anatomy removed, though in some cases it’s blood. They have completely bled out. Morton begins by suspecting the first victim’s twin sons but the story gets complicated.

I enjoyed this book very much. Morton and his crew are becoming real, three-dimensional characters and there’s a great deal of humour and some antipathy which makes the characters feel genuine. This is that rare thing in fiction, a DCI who is married, who has a wife who tolerates him, annoys him, and he has a home life. Not the usual off-the-peg maverick loner with a bunch of dysfunctional relationships in his past. It’s rather refreshing! The plot gave us some red herrings and a lot to think about. I felt it was satisfying in all ways. A great read.

Sean Campbell, Daniel Campbell

A writing duo who turn out an engrossing story.

Cleaver Square

Amazon.com

My review -

DCI Morton and his team are investigating the murder of a child whose body was found in ice at Hackney Marshes. They can't get a handle on the investigation and for a long time the identity of the body remains a mystery. Meanwhile, some hacker has emptied Morton's bank accounts and his wife, blaming him, has thrown him out. And that's just the start!

I really enjoyed this story in which a number of villains get their comeuppance but a lot of difficult questions are asked. Catch the bad people and lock them up? That can allow even worse people to get away with murder, literally. Sometimes what seems the obvious answer simply throws up more problems. I enjoyed the mystery, the characters and fact that, although it was satisfying, the ending left a few threads. Life isn’t always black and white. I was engrossed in this story all the way through.