‘The Strange Girl’ by Keith Dixon

My Review (4 stars out of 5)

The daughter of an ex-con hires private investigator Sam Dyke to find her father, after the man disappears following his release from prison. But Sam discovers the missing man might have been in prison for a crime he didn’t commit. The investigation uncovers differing opinions on the ex-con’s guilt or innocence and initially points Sam towards a posh casino. Tangling with an Asian gambling syndicate, Sam finds this is only the start of his troubles…

This is book five in Keith Dixon’s Sam Dyke Investigations series, and one of many I’ve read by this author. Like a modern Raymond Chandler, the book is peppered with the author’s signature witty one-liners and dark humour, which prevent the story becoming too serious. Assisted by his son, Dan, and Belinda – another PI who we’ve seen before – the plot builds to an exciting climax. While the story slows down a bit at times, it’s an entertaining tale with plenty to keep the reader guessing. My only whinge is the switching POV from first person to third-person omniscient, which never fails to irritate me.

A well-written an intelligent thriller from this talented author.

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