Fallout
Paul Thomas
Bitter Lemon, Apr 14 2015, $14.95
ISBN 9781908524492
For twenty-seven years Auckland District Commander Finbar McGrail
regretted not solving the strangulation death of teenager Polly Stenson at an
election-night gala in an affluent mansion.
A long time ago, Finbar gave up hope that the killer in the 1987 cold
case would be caught. However, a
seemingly minor clue surfaces that rekindles his optimism. He assigns recently demoted for his unruly behavior and appearance (see Death on Demand) Sergeant
Tito Ihaka to lead the new inquiry.
At the same a reporter insists that Tito’s father
Jimmy did not die from a heart attack; but instead believes someone ordered a
hit to silence the fiery union activist.
Meanwhile Tito’s former police partner and at one time best friend,
Johan van Roon is hired to investigate the shocking alleged sighting of a vanished VIP who disappeared in
1987. Soon the three seemingly disjointed
cases merge.
The latest Tito Ihaka New Zealand police procedural (see Guerrilla Season and Inside Dope) contains
three exciting mysteries. Paul Thomas
uses satirical jocularity to depict the destructiveness of racism; as the always in trouble with the brass protagonist deals
with bigotry from his peers and superiors in his brusque run them over
manner. Fallout is another Ihaka winner.
Harriet Klausner
No comments:
Post a Comment