Whilst reading this Frank Elder mystery, I made a mental note to seek out any sequels or any subsequent novels by this talented author. Seems I’m a bit late to the party: not only was it Frank Elder’s last case, it seems it is also the author’s last novel (he’s eighty years young). Ah well, I’ll just have to go backwards!
This was a totally addictive crime thriller, entwining two crimes: a present-day one and one from the past. Whilst the crimes themselves aren’t connected, ex-Detective Frank Elder’s estranged daughter is linked to both. Katherine is a troubled soul…not without good reason…but the murder of an artist with whom she had an affair topples her fragility. Elder saved her once and now has two tasks: to protect her from the past and prove she had nothing to do with the murder of her ex-lover.
The book moved at just the right pace and I never felt disadvantaged by not having read any Frank Elder prequels. There’s exactly the right dose of back story. There’s a perfect balance of plot and character story: police members have lives too. The many aspects of the story have been well researched and the result is a brilliant, convincing crime thriller.
What a way to exit a forty-year career of crime writing. I’m off to make up for John Harvey lost time!
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