Second in the series featuring elderly Rina Martin, who runs a guest house and to many a home of refuge, and an Inspector in the police.
Second in the series featuring elderly Rina Martin, who runs a guest house and to many a home of refuge, and an Inspector in the police.
Following the death of Edward Parker George’s violent father, Inspector Mac takes thirteen year old George to Hill House care home. Mac himself is still recovering from seeing a child die in front of him and being powerless to save her. He also feels responsibility for George whose mother had died whilst she was supposedly in Mac’s safe custody. Feeling rather forsaken George strikes up a friendship with Ursula, also temporally staying at Hill House. Ursula gives him a run down of the other children victims of parents killed in car crash, or who have had a breakdown following divorce – all fragile lives.
When a body is washed up, the initial thought is that it is Edward Parker, but it is the body of a much younger man and investigating it uncovers a series of abductions, none of which have ever been brought to the attention of the police, the reason being that the children are usually eventually returned, but not this time. Through the father of the dead boy Mac and Rina meet a sinister character, and learn that there are other children at risk. Can they find them in time.
Whilst a compelling mystery as Rina and Mac set out to track down this abductor of children, the main theme of the book is the fragile lives of the many characters. Brothers Andrew and Simeon, the latter who unable to deal with his loss collects clippings of people killed accidentally – all lives lost through being in the wrong place at the wrong time. Despite his brothers argument that Simeon could not attribute all the accidental loss of life to temporal placement, Simeon damaged mind cannot let go of his belief.
There is much pain in the book, but also hope, the power of friendship and love. A good satisfying read with all the ends tied up – I like that.
There looks to be a love interest in the air for Mac, in the guise of pathologist Miriam Hastings, but it’s early days.
Highly recommended.
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Lizzie Hayes