Bad Press

DS Bev Morriss is three months pregnant, and no one she works with knows.  Not even the father of the baby.  So, when she is called out to a brutal murder in the early morning she is on the brink of morning sickness as it is.  The victim is a well known paedophile.  The person found by the body is a well known news hound and DI Mike Powell has taken perverse pleasure in questioning him.

No one on the murder team is very interested in catching the killer of a paedophile.  The question is, was he targeted?

In the midst of the investigation, Morriss is asked by a senior officer to look into an apparent suicide.  An anonymous letter had been received that questioned the verdict of suicide.

Matt Snow, the newshound, is now afraid.  Whoever committed the murder knows his number, has stolen and returned his car and been inside his house.  Snow has also been warned not to contact the police.

While Morriss is having a scan, another body is found.  DI Powell is not impressed by the fact that she is not available, but her partner Mac Tyler covers for her.  He knows that she is pregnant, although she is unaware of his knowledge.  When Tyler gets to victim he finds out that the man is still alive, but his face is badly battered.  The victim's wallet contains the business card of the newshound, and the police wonder why.

Morriss is sure that the murderer is someone who has suffered at the hands of a paedophile.  And the murderer strikes again whilst a riot is underway.  Was the riot a diversion to allow him to get away with murder?  Another paedophile down the drain, and the newshound has a connection to the place where the victim was found.

As the case progresses, author Maureen Carter throws in several twists and a couple of real surprises right at the end.   A thoroughly good read.