Past Redemption

Starred review from November 1, 2024
The latest in Mark's DI Aector McAvoy series (after The Burning Time, 2023) is as dark, violent, nightmare-inducing, and unputdownable as they come. The latest case has affable, kind-hearted, yet tough-when-he-needs-to-be Aector McAvoy and his boss, DCS Trish Pharaoh, whose unorthodox methods may be questionable but who undeniably gets results, trying to keep convicted pedophile Decland Parfitt from being paroled. Decland, known as the Lizard King, performed with his menagerie of reptiles at children's parties across England. But there was a darker side to Decland: he used his two foster daughters, Gaynor and Ruby, to lure children to his house, where he would abuse them, then take pictures to show what he'd done. Apparently guilt-ridden, Gaynor eventually killed herself, but Ruby maintains that Decland is innocent. Trish will do anything--including harassing Ruby to convince her of "the truth"--to keep Decland from being released. But Aector knows Trish is hiding something, and he soon finds that the case is even darker, more complex, and twisted than he thought. In a stunning conclusion, Aector and Trish uncover the truth, which is as deeply disturbing as it is shocking. An outstanding read for those who like their crime thrillers gritty, graphic, and gripping.

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November 15, 2024
The threat of a dangerous criminal's early release puts a Yorkshire police squad on high alert. A prologue illustrates the depravity of crime kingpin Decland Parfitt, a prolific pedophile and alleged murderer. Thirteen years later, his shrewd lawyer, Cillian Dodds, works skillfully to engineer his early release. Before Mark's peripatetic procedural returns its laser-like focus to Parfitt, the author introduces a new thread: The desperate attempts of an erratic recovering alcoholic named Joe to reconnect with his daughter, Bella. Only then does Mark update series fans on the doings of his police team. As he receives updates on Parfitt, DI Aector McAvoy is proudly following his wife Roisin's appearance at Mabon, a celebration of the autumnal equinox. His mentor and confidant, DCS Trish Pharaoh, is following Parfitt's foster daughter Ruby, now an adult in a toxic relationship, who's vigorously denied any wrongdoing by her father. It's left to DS Ben Neilsen to handle the case of a corpse discovered in the middle of the night, whose potential connections to Parfitt and Joe are explored by the tangled plot. Written with gritty economy, Mark's long-running series has built a compelling community of cops and criminals and their families and victims. His decision to give his large cast of regulars full attention is a gift to readers and a rarity in the genre. Their long arcs should delight fans, but may challenge those new to the series--unless of course they feel compelled to catch up on earlier episodes. A satisfyingly nuanced and complex procedural.

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