Death Toll

DI Peter Shaw and DS George Valentine have been called out to a cemetery where the graves are being relocated due to flooding.  One grave contains an extra body on top of the coffin.  The skeleton in the coffin has shattered bones.  What happened to her?

Using his forensic artistic talent, Shaw draws a likeness of the victim found on top of the coffin.  It is the likeness of a black man.

DC Paul Twine discovers that she was murdered by her husband.  Following up, Shaw meets with the daughter of the woman in the coffin, and shows her the drawing.  She is shocked by the picture because it is her cousin, and also the father of her son.  A story comes out about his last night, at the wake.  Shaw learns that a choir had sung at the wake and that a video recording had been made.  How can he get his hands on it?

They get a small break when the pathology team tell them that the grave had been dug into recently.  Who did it and why was it done?  There are three possible suspects; were they in it together or separately, or is it someone else entirely?

Author Jim Kelly hints at other suspects as the investigation progresses, and leaves the reader wondering.  While the investigation is ongoing, Shaw and Valentine have another side investigation going on related to a previous murder that Valentine and Shaw’s father had apparently screwed up on.  This too will come to a conclusion in this novel.  All-in-all a thoroughly enjoyable read.