London Calling

As I started to read James Craig's "London Calling" I wasn't sure I would enjoy it.  However, Craig's method of backtracking to the 1980's and interspersing it with the current date, was the author's way of establishing characters within the story.

It is modern times and the United Kingdom is on the verge of a general election.  Edgar Carlton would appear to be set to be the next prime minister.  His twin brother is his right hand man, and together they have established an impressive election machine.  That is until some of their friends start to get murdered.

Inspector John Carlyle is tasked to investigate the first of the murders.  He discovers as each new victim appears that each of the victims, plus the two Carlton brothers were members of the Merrion Club while at Cambridge.  As each victim appears he is able to determine that the Carltons could be potential victims.

Back in the 1980's Carlyle was a young constable involved in controlling the riots that occurred as a result of the miners' strikes.  It was there that he made friends with another police officer, Dominc Silver and enemy of another, Trevor Miller.  Both of these men would leave the police force, one to become a drug lord and the other the head of security for the Carltons.  Each will play an important part in Carlyle's investigations.

Power and money corrupts and author John Craig shows how it does in this thriller.  Although, as I said, I was unsure whether I would enjoy the book, I did and I highly recommend it.