Retribution, Christina O'Reilly

Following on from INTO THE VOID, RETRIBUTION continues to feature DSS Archie Baldrick and DC Ben Travers - in this outing, investigating the death of a very mysterious woman indeed. After Lucy is found dead on the beach, finding out who she is, or anything about her is the most tricky part of the investigation, she's obviously been hiding something but whether or not that has any part of why she's been murdered is very difficult to ascertain. She seems to have no family or friends, no obvious past, and no easily identified motivations for wanting her dead.

Both of the novels in this series are short, sharp, carefully paced and deftly plotted, with plenty of red herrings, and much for a reader to be working on, at the same time as the main investigators. In this outing Baldrick does seem to have stepped into the role of difficult older detective, more than in the first novel, and it did feel that Travers was floating along a bit more than in the earlier as well - maybe because the victim was such a difficult person to pin down - he seemed as lost and bamboozled as this reader for such a long time.

Packed with twists and turns, this is a little gem of a series that I've really enjoyed both novels in - even if things get a little ropey sometimes. This reader felt there was potential for a solid developing series at the end of the first novel, and that's definitely being lived up to in this second offering.