Shallow Waters

The body of a young girl has been found in an alleyway on a cold October night.  DI Hannah Robbins and her team have been tasked with the investigation.  They start by visiting the known sex offenders in the city, but come up with nothing.  DNA matches to a 15 year old girl from Norwich, which is 120 miles away.

Robbins arranges for one of her team to liaise with the investigating team in Norwich. Meantime the team continues to check alibis of the sex offenders.  However, shortly afterwards the body of another young girl is found in similar circumstances.  This time the identity of the girl is determined quickly because the mother had gone to the paper upon hearing that a child had been found.  She claims that the police ignore her because she comes from a poor part of the town.  The reporter sent to the scene is Robbins boyfriend.

Just after visiting the mother of the newest victim, her house explodes.  Robbins and one of her DCs are outside in their car at the time and are injured.   Was it a gas explosion or had the mother been targeted?  As a result of the injuries sustained, Robbins is pulled from the investigation.  Fortunately she is able to convince her senior officer that she is still capable.

DNA evidence found on the body of the first victim points to the boyfriend of the mother of the second victim.  Now to track him down.  Once they have him in custody, his computer provides further evidence against him.  However, the computer forensic investigator discovers that there is another girl out there, imprisoned.  Can they get the perpetrator to provide them with the information as to where she is?  And can they get to her before she becomes the next victim?

Author Rebecca Bradley's story is a page turner, and shocking in its content.  The author is a retired police detective, so her knowledge of procedure is evident in the writing.  I found this book engrossing and hard to put down.