When the naked body of a dead young boy is found mutilated and artfully arranged on top of a tomb, it opens up a whole can of worms for the Metropolitan Police Force of London, because it turns out that this is just the latest in a string of similar murders. The thing is that the previous victims had been either African American or of mixed race and had been written off as gang-related killings. This latest victim, however, is white and is inviting a whole lot of interest. Hoping to contain the accusations of racism and cruelty, AC Hillier appoints acting Detective Superintendent Thomas Lynley to the case, assigning him newly promoted Detective Winston Nkata (window dressing in Hiller's mind for the public as Nkata is off Jamaican background) and allowing Lynley to keep fiery Detective Constable Barbara Havers on the team. Everyone quickly realizes that they have a serial killer on their hands. As they race to discover how many prior victims there were and identify them, and to try to establish a pattern of sorts that would give them a clue as to the killer's modus operandi, Lynley also has to contend with Hiller's need to direct the investigation and his desire that Lynley and his team cooperate with the newspapers. As the killings continue to mount, and as the police officers race to get a result, things take an unexpected and explosive turn, one that perhaps neither Lynley nor Havers will ever recover from...I thought that this was a great book. It was compelling and dark and it was impossible to put down. This book was well-crafted and very informing. You can tell that the author did a lot of research on the subject itself, and that the characters were very well developed. Elizabeth George did a great job of weaving a complex plot, the lives of the characters and the essence of London into her story. This book is a mystery-thriller book and it keeps you on the edge of your seat in anticipation. It was an absorbing read that no one should miss. I would recommend this book to people who are interested in investigations and solving crimes, but anyone would enjoy it.
