Lazy Bones

Összefoglaló

In this third engrossing police procedural from the talented Billingham, Detective Inspector Tom Thorne and his London-based serious crimes unit must track down a serial killer of rapists. Exploring the lasting effects of childhood trauma, as have the other books in the series, this entry similarly keeps flashing back to the triggering sequence of events. So the question isn't so much who the killer is, as it is who that killer grew up to be. When the forensics team can't find "the life sentence hidden in a dustball," Thorne must follow up a mountain of less-than-promising leads while generating a sea of new ones in an investigative cycle that starts afresh with each body found bound, gagged, mutilated, and violated. Already beset by slow-witted bosses, minuscule resources, and a tabloid press rooting for the killer, the detectives are further hobbled by relationship problems that illustrate why dating cops can be such hazardous duty. So even as they plow into the investigation, they fail to ask obvious questions and feel increasingly ambivalent about their jobs. In short, they're recognizably human. These compelling characters--along with Billingham's gift for coupling canny observations with effective plot misdirection--mark this a series for long-term success. Next time, though, he should take care not to neglect Phil Hendricks, the multiply pierced medical examiner who ranks just behind Thorne as the most interesting member of the team.