Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #2392 in Books
• Published on: 2008-02-07
• Number of items: 1
• Binding: Paperback
• 480 pages

Synopsis
The nation's sharpest cop, DCC Bob Skinner, desperately wants to stop a serial killer...When two young female artists are murdered in what looks like ritualistic killings, the pressure is on to find a highly professional murderer. What is the link with the art world? Is the killer a disgruntled art critic? A twice-jilted lover? The arrival of the father of one of the victims, millionaire businessman Davor Boras, brings in the big guns of the Home Office, MI5 and the CIA. It's not long before Deputy Chief Constable Bob Skinner gets called back to the frontline. With an estranged son, a dubious assistant and connections in very high places, what is more important to Boras: business or family? There's too much at stake - there's going to be bloodshed - and Skinner's men are at risk of getting caught in the crossfire...

Customer Reviews

Waiting for skinner?
How do you write a Bob Skinner novel without Bob Skinner ? Very well appears to be the answer. This novel I'm sure would baffle anyone attempting this as their first introduction to the series, it's taken me a while but I've finally caught up having read the whole series in order. This story is more about DI Stevie Steele and the excellent Mario mcguire as has been mentioned Bob Skinner doesn't appear until almost the end of the book.
The story though is excellent a girl is found shot in the back of the head and laid out like an angel the scene almost identical to the murder of another young girl killed 2 months ago. Links between the two girls they are both talented artists has Edinburgh got a severe art critic running loose or a serial killer who leaves no forensic traces? The premise worried me what I've always liked about the Skinner series is that the crimes have real motive love or money with the last couple of novels I felt Jardine kept trying to get the story bigger and bigger featuring Popes and prime ministers but this story returns to good old fashioned police work in fact it's only really the arrival of Skinner that takes us back into the land of spools and politics.
The balance between home life and the office is better than some previous books with Maggie Rose pregnant facing the toughest decision of her so far tough life and this one has nothing to do with police work. I read the reviews before Reading this so knew someone died but actually knowing that meant I enjoyed the book more as the victim was not who I was expecting.
The series is nicely set up to continue with the relationship between Skinner and Scotland's first minister in place, this though could prove to be a turning point in the series as Skinner in the books has always stated he doesn't want to succeed the chief constable Proud Jimmy I think what this novel shows is that Jardine shouldn't be scared to promote Bob he has the characters to continue this series without Skinner having to be so hands on in fact the series may even benefit from it. I do however agree with another reviewer some of the dialogue is poor particularly on a couple of occasions when they are interviewing suspects or witnesses and start discussing things that you feel are hardly appropriate to discuss with them present. Despite some negatives this is still one of the best of what's turning into a must have series for any lover of British crime fiction. Long may Skinner books continue even if like Taggart on TV the man himself is no longer there.

Where is Bob?
As a great fan of Bob Skinner I was a little disappointed as he only appears towards the end of the book. However, he was supposed to be on sabbatical! I really enjoyed getting to know some of the other characters though and to get more of an insight into people we have met in earlier books. I was sad at the loss of a great character and did fing the ending a little turgid. Still, onwards and upwards!

Too cosy
I find the Edinburgh Police squad a cosy bunch. Everybody is doing it with everybody. Al are related or at least were related in the past.
I never read about a police force with so many cross relations between the characters.
I have read all Jardine's books about Bob Skinner, but this is the first one where policing is not the highest priority.
Earlier books had the same tendency, but this is awful.
Maybe my last Skinner novel.
2 Stars for old times sake.