THE KILL CALL

TITLE: THE KILL CALL
AUTHOR: STEPHEN BOOTH
Pages: 408
Date: 14/06/2009
Grade: 4.5
Details: no. 9 Ben Cooper & Diane Fry Mystery
Library

As expected, this was a very well written and thought out book by Mr. Booth. However, compared to earlier books in this series, the story felt a bit disjointed. Not that there were any real loose threads by the end of the story, but neither were the conclusions and explanations as provided totally satisfying. To me it seemed that all of the author's attention had been focused on the mystery and the investigation there off, with the solution and motives being mere after-thoughts.
When the body of a dead man with severe head injuries is found, his position is a bit of a mystery. A phone call to the police had reported the remains in an abandoned building, a little distance away.
Once the victim's identity has been established, Cooper, Fry and their colleagues have to delve into the worlds of fox-hunting, and horse trading, learning more about horse meat than they would ever want to know.
Then the victim's business partner goes missing and things become really complicated. But when it comes to the solutions to the mysteries, at least one part is far more ordinary then anyone would have thought.
This really was a good read, with the usual friction between Cooper and Fry providing extra interest, and Fry's past coming back to haunt her.