The Dead Hour

by: Denise Mina

Published by: Little, Brown, and Company

Reviewed by Kim Reis

Paddy Meehan is back, now working as a reporter for the Scottish Daily News. Assigned to the night beat in a calls car, she responds to a domestic disturbance in a posh neighborhood. The woman is bloodied and refusing help from both the police and Paddy, and the man answering the door pays Paddy to keep it out of the paper.

When the woman is found dead the next morning, Paddy learns that Vhari Burnett was a respected prosecuting attorney, and that she was tortured before she was killed. Paddy worries about the bribe she took and wonders if the police were also paid to look the other way. When Paddy suspects a link with another lawyer who commits suicide the following day, she determines to find out why the woman didn't take the opportunity to leave when she could.

Denise Mina is among the best of the best. Her insight into Paddy's world draws you in and makes you yearn for more. Her descriptions of the crimes are not for the squeamish but they set the tone for the story, letting you know that Paddy's world is dark and gritty, and very realistic.

Set in the early 1980s, Paddy struggles with her self-esteem, her faith and her gender restrictions, all while trying to become the journalist she dreams to be. I eagerly look forward to Paddy's next investigation.

Armchair Interviews says: Readers will like this book and look forward to more from Denise Mina.