When the body of an old woman is discovered with a mouthful of bloodspattered daffodils, Detective Sergeant Bev Morriss is convinced the macabre bouquet betokens a personal crime. However, she is left to pursue her theory alone, her colleagues on the West Midlands Police force linking the murder to a series of earlier attacks on elderly women in the area. Bev's conviction grows greater as she learns more about the victim, Sophia Carrington.
Bev's isolation increases as she is subjected to the consistent fault finding of glamorous, newly arrived Detective Inspector Daniella Shields. Already aggrieved over her own unsuccessful application for this post, Bev feels undermined and determined to prove herself right. She fires ahead with unofficial lines of inquiry, reluctantly supported only by her partner, Oz, putting strain on both the working and personal sides of their relationship. An attack on her grandmother increases Bev's motivation further and the line between professional and private life begins to blur.
Maureen Carter builds on the strong characters established in Working Girls.
Bev is a likeable, all too human personality, whose fallibilities are portrayed
more through her own viewpoint than the exasperation of her colleagues. Despite
mounting problems and the steadily increasing antagonism between herself and
Shields, Bev's dry sense of humour remains in place. Her passion for her job
stands out. While her focus on achieving her end may lead Bev away from the
rules occasionally, she is no maverick. It should be interesting to see her
develop.
-------
Mary Andrea Clarke