Friday, January 25, 2013

All the Lonely People

Harry Devlin is a solicitor in Liverpool.  He hasn't seen his wife, Liz, for two years, since she moved in with a member of the criminal element, one Mick Coghlan.  Now, here she is, back inside his apartment.  She feels threatened by her current boyfriend because she has taken on a new lover.  Twenty-four hours later and the police are questioning Devlin as to her murder.

Harry plans to find her murderer.  He has his suspicions.  Chief Inspector Skinner and DS Macbeth, who are investigating the murder, have their suspicions, and those seem to include Harry.  They drop a bombshell on Harry when they tell him his wife was eight weeks pregnant.

Harry confronts Coghlan, with no success.  It is shortly after this that he is presented with another lead, Joe Rourke.  Was Joe the new man in Liz's life? Harry looks into Rourke.  Things take a turn for the worse when Harry is beaten, however that only strengthens his resolve.  He continues his investigation, only to land in hot water when one of the people he is trying to talk to turns up murdered.  Shortly after that, Coghlan is arrested for attempted murder in London.

Where to turn now?  Author Martin Edwards has a number of twists and turns before drawing the story to a surprising conclusion.  When I first started reading the novel, I wasn't sure that I was going to like it, but before long, I was intrigued and enjoying the read and the ride.  Edwards gives a very good look at the underbelly of Liverpool in this novel.  Well worth the read.

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