This gripping and complex ninth installment of Maitland’s Brock and Kolla series (after 2006’s No Trace
) ties past and present in London’s West Indian community. After the bodies of two young girls are found in South London, both shot through the head, media attention precipitates a Scotland Yard investigation. A schoolboy exploring a deserted Brixton rail yard uncovers three unidentified bodies shot with the same gun some 24 years before, at a time of civil unrest and riots. Det. Sgt. Kathy Kolla investigates the girls’ murders, while DCI David Brock feels compelled to follow the slim leads to the past as the investigation widens to include an agent from Special Branch and aging ex-con “Spider” Roach. Some of Spider’s family and associates have risen to wealth and prominence, and Brock’s queries run up against a suspicious number of walls. Though character development is somewhat lacking, the intricate plot, spot-on dialogue and vivid descriptions will keep readers turning the pages. (Oct.)
