Investigative thinking, police procedure and enthusiastic young journalists solve the crimes
- Book: The Scandal (Stone and Oliver Book 3)
- Location: Newcastle upon Tyne
- Author: Mari Hannah
Investigative thinking, police procedure and enthusiastic young journalists solve the crimes within The Scandal. This is Mari Hannah’s third book in the Stone and Oliver series. Her writing is improving with every read.
A young man is found murdered in a narrow side street off the busy Northumberland Street in the centre of Newcastle upon Tyne. To David Stone it looks like a mugging gone wrong but when his second in command, Frankie Oliver arrives to the scene she gets a shock. The victim is a childhood friend, but motive and evidence is alluding them. As Mari puts together this wonderful crime story she brings together all the expertise of CSI, journalists and CID to solve the murder of the young man and that of another.
Reading the prologue entices you into the book without hesitation but is almost forgotten when the reader becomes drawn into the investigation of the murder of a young man, who at first sight looks as if he has been mugged. Clever police work reveals clues that like a jigsaw needs to be put together, but with many people joining in. It brings to mind family and friends doing the Christmas jigsaw.
The reader sees how journalists work, piecing together evidence and how in this book they aid the investigation. Risks are taken, new friendships developed and some friendships tested.
I have read all of Mari Hannah’s books and have enjoyed them all, but she is just getting better and better. Stone and Oliver are becoming well developed characters and through each book we learn more about their personal history, their fears and how they are learning about each other. They have mutual respect, but still have to build complete trust in each other. The Scandal sees their relationship tested. I wondered if Frankie Oliver should have remained investigating the murder given her relationship with the victim, but her dogged determination and willingness to step over the markher own lead reveals opportunities for solving this case and others.
There is a very realistic sense of compassion in this story. There is exploitation of the vulnerable, which is hard to deal with. The feelings of the loved ones of the murder victims are considered and are palpable bringing emotion to the forefront. There are hard hitting issues dealt with too, knife crime and the plight of the homeless, who were instrumental in bringing justice to bear.
As in all Mari Hannah’s books, The Scandal is set in the north east and if you know Northumberland and Newcastle upon Tyne you will recognise it. The city centre is described exactly as it is, I pictured the side street that Chris Adams was murdered in. Then you are taken to more rural Northumberland and the nature of the land, it’s deep ravines, overgrowth and climate are described beautifully and put to effect where an accident could have been something more if the person had not been tracked down by police dogs.
Once again, I need to congratulate Mari Hannah on a page turning crime novel full of police procedure, compassion and charismatic characters. I can hardly wait for the fourth instalment of Stone and Oliver.
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