The Picasso Scam

At the start of this novel, we meet DI Charlie Priest who has just been shot.  He goes on to tell how he arrived in this predicament. 

Priest has been left a bequest by Rudi Truscott, the man his wife had left him for.  It turns out to be a copy of a Picasso.  When Priest finds out that Truscott had burned to death, he becomes suspicious.

Someone tries to set up Priest by placing pure heroin in his car.  He discovers it before he is pulled over.  This sets in motion an investigation that will take him to Spain.  Unfortunately Priest doesn't come up with anything, but does make a couple of friends, one of whom is killed.

Back home Priest finds himself in a shoot out, which results in an enforced holiday.  It doesn't prevent him from continuing his investigation, however.  This necessitates sending ADS Nigel Newley, and DC Jeff Caton to New York to follow up on missing antiques, all part of the Picasso Scam as Priest calls it.  Their work with the NYPD helps draw a successful conclusion to the investigation.

Author Stuart Pawson has written an exciting thriller, with an excellent conclusion.  I like how Pawson shows that a single investigation is not the be all and end all of police work, Priest continues to work on other things at the same time, which is typical of true policing.  I thoroughly enjoyed this read and am looking forward to the next in the series.