Just turned the last page of "Our Lady of Pain" by Elena Forbes. The second installment in what is shaping up to be a superb British police procedural series.
The first book in the series, "Die with me", I reviewed on this blog on June 13, 2009.
"Our Lady of Pain" is set in London, in February, with DCI Mark Tartaglia and policewoman Sam Donovan working an intriguing murder case. The body of a beautiful young art dealer is found by a passing jogger naked and frozen in Holland Park. Her body is posed in such a way that she looks like she is praying and an excerpt of a poem is found in her mouth.
The murder investigation is hindered by the fact that the victim, Rachel Tenison led a very mysterious and disturbing life. They flounder along with the case until a journalist links this case with one from the previous year which has some similarities to the one that they are working on... At this point a detective from the first case, Simon Turner, is assigned to work with them.
The suspects are credible villains who hide their motivations and lie about their whereabouts forcing Tartaglia and the Barnes Murder Squad to work even harder and more ingeniously to seek out the truth.
With brilliant characterizations and a steadily increasing grip of suspense, this novel delivered on all levels. It has in fact, ascertained that Elena Forbes has been added to my favorite novelists list. (see bottom of this blog's front page)
Read "The Darker Side", and original essay by Eleana Forbes available online.
