My Review (4 stars out of 5)
Transferred to the town of Cooper, Detective Thomas Levine struggles to get over the death of his girlfriend, as well as coming to terms with his own dubious past. He is paired with a cop who has a similar history of bending the rules, and who soon leads him into trouble. Investigating the murder of a young woman, Levine’s partner plans to bring someone to justice – even if the man he targets isn’t the guilty party. When Levine finds himself in the brown stuff, he faces difficult decisions, leading to robbery, violence and getting up close and personal with the boss of a drugs cartel.
Winner of The Bloody Scotland Debut Prize 2022, this is a thriller set in Nebraska and which is clearly written for an American audience (a little odd given that the author comes from Edinburgh). Told mainly in two (or possibly more) voices, the protagonist is a detective – Thomas Levine – who has been transferred to the small town of Cooper as punishment for an as yet unknown misdeed. The plot is very good and for the most part well written, with clever and witty dialogue that has a Chandleresque feel to it. However, some sections feel clunky, and the flashbacks are a tad confusing as it’s not clear who is speaking. It’s also worth saying that the action gets pretty gruesome at times – definitely not a book to read before a meal.
Fast-moving thriller, with clever and witty dialogue.
Colin Garrow 