In less capable hands, Curzon's 22nd Mike Yeadings mystery (after 2008's Payback
), which interweaves three primary narratives and at times several secondary ones, might be chaotic and frustrating. Instead, the author effortlessly elicits the reader's interest in all his characters: oversized Lee Barber, a train driver who dreams of one day working on the Continent for the European Express; Piers Egerton, a small, nervous man who's allowed himself to spend his career developing chemical weapons; and, of course, Supt. Mike Yeadings and his CID Thames Valley team of investigators. When the hapless Barber commits a shocking act of violence, we eventually forgive him as we come to know him better. More unexpected violence emanates from a dynamic created by Barber's act. Amid the fast-paced action, Curzon leaves space for the reader to reflect on the complexity and occasional irony of human interactions. (Apr.)
