Smoke and Whispers

by: Mick Herron

Published by: Constable

Reviewed by Wendy Hines

Sarah Tucker is devastated to read on the web about her friend’s death. Zoe Boehm didn’t keep normal contact with her close friend Sarah. She’d occasionally pick up the phone and call, or more times than not, send a postcard to let Sarah know she was doing okay. Sarah knows Zoe leads a dangerous life, so from time to time, she Googles Zoe on the internet to see if anything bad has happened. But the day it does appear, Sarah denies it is Zoe until she identifies the body herself.

After Sarah confirms that the body is indeed her friend Zoe, Sarah starts a little investigation of her own. There is no way that Zoe would commit suicide and jump into the River Tyne, which is the conclusion the police have come to. Zoe loved life too much to throw it all away. Zoe was a private investigator, and Sarah feels it may have something to do with the case Zoe had been working on. Alan Talmadge made the deaths of middle-aged women appear as an accident or self-inflicted, when he himself murdered them. Sarah believes it’s too much to be coincidence and investigates further. But when Sarah gets too close to the truth, the target paints a big bull’s-eye on her.

Mick Herron draws the reader in from page one and does not let go until the final clue in the mystery unfolds. Set in England, he paints a backdrop worthy of a museum. So real, you can almost touch it. Sarah is a worthy opponent in any setting–an argument, fancy dinner, or the morgue. She is a very versatile heroine that you just can’t help but like. The plot in this mystery was well-spun. Just when I thought I knew the answer to one question, another arrived.

Armchair Interviews says: Very well done!