Accessions 26nov24

I read the above this week, and decided to buy the full series for eleven quid (UK) (US+)

I wanted an easy reading comfort book, and what I like is a clever, miserable British detective dealing with disgusting crimes. This hit the spot well enough that I finished it last night and ordered the rest of the series today. I recognise one of Ed James’ special tricks in the book above from his Fenchurch series, but this is a better-built book, with more texture and more attack. I’m faintly amazed it’s not already a tv show (except that British crime shows these days tend to be cosier, with leads who are more bland functionaries than the slightly mad horrors I tend to enjoy more).

Honestly, sometimes, writing a series of detective novels seems like the victory condition to me, and I admire any writer who can talk a publisher into it and then just keep going.