Book review - Number six in the Sean Duffy series, but after reading the first few pages I asked myself, can Sean Duffy really get out of this one alive?

Police at the station and they don’t look friendly, is the title of the sixth novel in the Sean Duffy series, written by Adrian McKinty.  It’s a bleak start to the novel, as Duffy is being led through a forest by three masked gunmen.  It’s not just a beating this time, Duffy’s ben told he must dig his own grave and if he co-operates and doesn’t make a fuss, they’ll be kind enough to kill him cleanly.  The book then switches back in time to a cosy family scene, with Duffy, his girlfriend Beth, their infant daughter Emma and Duffy’s parents.  A sweet, touching scene, until Duffy is called away to investigate the murder of a local drug dealer, shot to death with a crossbow.

When Duffy arrives at the crime scene the novel descends into what seems like a slapstick farce, with an unguarded corpse on the drive about to be nibbled by a stray goat, the trusty Sergeant McCrabban in hospital after being stabbed with a fork and an ice cream van driver who refuses to move his van to make way for the scenes of crime team.  As usual Duffy soon locks horns with his superiors, especially the recently promoted Inspector Dalziel and Chief Inspector McArthur.  He even uses up the few favours he has in the bank with ACC Strong on the way, so Duffy has only himself, with McCrabban and Lawson to support him.

Duffy’s investigation takes him into that strange shadow world of Northern Ireland where paramilitary leaders and killers live in plain sight within the community.  Nothing about the case seems to make sense, even the strange connection to the past where Northern Ireland’s forces of law and order were supported by volunteers.  Perhaps….?

So, what did I think?  A great book – I’ve been a Sean Duffy fan since The Cold, Cold Ground, Mckinty’s first Sean Duffy book.  I’ve waited for the latest novel each year since then and feel that the books are getting better and better – now, I know that’s a bit of a cliché, but my view is that McKinty creates clever plots that are well grounded and supported by a cast of real characters.  Reading the Sean Duffy novels, I’ve never suffered from that “oh please!” thought that I often get when I’m part way through a book and simply can’t suspend disbelief.  The way that McKinty creates dark scenes, filled with genuine terror and effortlessly switches to something close to farce without it jarring on the reader, confirms again, McKinty’s skill as a writer.

Final verdict – Police at the station and they don’t look friendly is an absolute must – a great way to start 2017.  If you’ve not read any of the Sean Duffy series, start at book one, The Cold, Cold Ground – it’s well worth the investment.

Romancrimeblogger