TORN

TITLE: TORN

AUTHOR: CASEY HILL

Pages: 390

Date: 06/04/2012

Grade: 5

Details: no. 2 Reilly Steel

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Reilly Steel, Quantico-trained forensic investigator working for the Garda Forensic Unit in Dublin, is very experienced at what she does and thinks she’s seen it all. But even she raises a few eye-brows when she finds herself face to face with the remains of a journalist, found in his own sceptic tank where he has apparently been left to drown “in his own shit”.

The crime-scene offers little or no clues for the investigation and a look at the journalist’s personal and professional life by Detectives Chris Delaney and Pete Kennedy doesn’t lead to a solid motive or suspect either.

When Reilly and the two investigators are called to another obscure and horrible crime-scene it is impossible not to link this second murder to the first one. Except that the first one wasn’t really first at all. It turns out that an earlier, equally strange, murder of a retired Garda is also part of the mystery.

But with no obvious links between the three victims and no forensic clues to speak of, the investigation isn’t going anywhere fast.

The murderer obviously has an agenda and seems to be working his way towards a spectacular finale, but unless Reilly, the investigators and the irritating profiler who has been called in, can come up with a link between the victims and a motive for their murders they don’t have a chance of identifying the perpetrator, never mind stopping him.

Casey Hill, a partnership between Melissa Hill and her husband Kevin, has done it again. The first Reilly Steel thriller “Taboo” was a great read and this book more than lives up to the expectations set by its predecessor.

Filled with gruesome and disturbing murders, fascinating forensic detail as well as interesting main characters, this book is a real page-turner. I like the way we get to know each of the characters a little bit better in each book and how their personal lives tie in with the rest of the story. I also appreciate that the authors have created real characters with flaws as well as good sides. Characters that come to life for the reader to such an extend that you could imagine meeting them on the streets of Dublin.

I could go on and on, but not without spoiling the book for those who haven’t read it, so I won’t. I will say though that I hope the two Hills will keep their writing partnership going for a very long time.