True to life, fast moving thriller

My rating:  5 out of 5

A fast moving thriller, with plenty of action and twists.   

Delaney, having left the New Orleans Police Department  7 years before, is reluctant to accept an invitation to return to help them find a serial killer, but what choice does he have when children are dying.  Meanwhile in his role as a Private Investigator he is approached to help stop an extortion scam, and hears that a criminal out to get him  has escaped custody. 

There is plenty going on in this fast moving thriller.  All the action is intertwined skilfully without leading to any confusion, and held together by Delaney’s wryly amusing observations of life.  Delaney’s music loving dog, Lowell,  adds fun to the story, and of course Delaney has a life outside work which add another interesting dimension.  As fans of Owen Mullen would expect, a musical band also plays a cameo role.  I’ve not much to say here about the plot, for fear of giving anything away, except that everything seems very real and there are plenty of heart-stopping moments, plus a real gasp out loud moment. 

The move from the Glasgow setting of Mullen’s previous books to New Orleans works well, and I enjoyed the insights into the world of children’s pageants that I had no previous knowledge of.   Delaney is an interesting and very believable character, as are his friends and family. 

Another great thriller from Owen Mullen.  5*s from me as the narrative is true to life and the storylines held me enthralled.

This is a Boldwood Books revised and re-edited version of the previous edition called And So It Began.