Today is publication day for Critical Incidents by Lucie Whitehouse. As a big fan of this author’s writing, I was delighted to get the chance to read it.
Suspended from the Met’s Homicide Command for refusing to follow orders, DI Robin Lyons has no choice but to return to her home town of Birmingham and live in her parents’ house, sharing a room with teenage daughter Lennie. She finds work helping her mother’s friend, a private investigator, and begins looking into the disappearance of a young woman.
But shortly after, Robin’s best friend Corinna is found dead following a house fire. Suspicion falls on Corinna’s husband but Robin is convinced he had nothing to do with it and is determined to prove it. Launching her own investigation, she discovers that there may be a link between the death of Corinna and the disappearance of the young woman.
As she investigates she starts to wonder how well we can really know the people we love – and how far any of us will go to protect our own.
While Critical Incidents is different from Lucy Whitehouse’s domestic noir stories, it’s another compelling read and a strong start to a detective series. I had to keep reading to find out how the cases would link up.
The characters are vividly drawn, multi-faceted and believable, especially Robin who is flawed, determined, principled and likeable. The story was cleverly structured with twists and turns, and kept me guessing. I’d recommend it to anyone who enjoys a good police drama.
Critical Incidents is published by Harper Collins UK, Fourth Estate
ISBN 9780008269012
My thanks to Netgalley and the publishers for a review copy in return for my unbiased opinion.
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