Death Lies Beneath

A minor criminal had been clobbered over the head and then hospitalised.  Unfortunately he had meandered out of the hospital and died.  DI Andy Horton is wondering if there is more to the death than what appears on the surface.  Two of the mourners at the funeral were driving flash cars, causing Horton to wonder how they could afford them, since they were supposedly on benefits.

The morning after the funeral, Horton is called to a salvage yard where the body of a woman has been found.  Surprisingly, Horton realises that he had seen her at the funeral the previous day.  The question that arises is, is the victim connected the criminal whose funeral was the previous day, and if so, what was the connection?

Horton is now assigned a new partner from Europol.  He is surprised when Agent Eames is a woman.  Eames, while examining the victim's clothing, indicates that they are very expensive.  This gives Horton some new theories about her murder.

While checking with the warden of the prison where the first victim had once resided, Horton finds out that the victim had had a picture of the female victim in his cell.  While returning to his office, shortly afterwards, Horton is informed that police divers have recovered a bracelet - with an arm, where the female victim had been found.

Identification of the second remains are of another woman who had disappeared quite a few years earlier.  A potential suspect is identified, but when he dies the question arises, was it a remorseful suicide or something else?

Author Pauline Rowson throws the readers a couple of curve balls before drawing this murder mystery to a close.  A thoroughly good read.