Bad Blood: A Henry Christie Thriller

In British author Oldham’s action-packed 24th Henry Christie thriller (after 2015’s The Unforgiving), Christie has finally realized his dream: running a pub/hotel, the Tawny Owl, with his fiancée, Alison Marsh, in the tiny village of Kendleton in the wilds of Lancashire. Series fans will be delighted to learn that violence, corruption, and a touch of political intrigue have followed the former detective superintendent into retirement. Everything seems to be smooth sailing for Christie: Alison adores him, his business is thriving, and he enjoys an excellent relationship with Ginny, his stepdaughter-to-be. However, a ruthless and highly trained assassin is stalking him, intent not only on seeing Christie dead but also on destroying his budding family. Fortunately, his friend Karl Donaldson, a former FBI agent who’s now legal attaché at the American embassy in London, is staying at the Tawny Owl and is ready to lend a hand when the bullets start flying. While Christie suffers a serious loss, the ending suggests that he’ll be ready for further adventures in his next outing. (Mar.)