Bad Tidings

July 29, 2013
What should have been a relaxing Christmas break for Henry Christie proves anything but in Oldham’s tight 19th novel featuring the Lancashire detective superintendent (after 2012’s Fighting for the Dead). On New Year’s Day, Henry inherits the case of two murders (dubbed the “Twixtmas Killings” by the press) from a disgraced colleague, and his mother suffers a near-fatal heart attack. That his mother has a “do not resuscitate” order in place complicates matters, while a potential next victim of the Twixtmas killer turns out to be Freddy Cromer, the violently deranged scion of a local crime family. Freddy is brought to Royal Blackburn Hospital, where he quickly takes a nurse hostage, and, in a separate incident, unknown individuals begin a shootout in the corridors. The thrill of the chase spurs Henry on, but he is still a team player who does things by the book. Oldham shows just how exciting a proper police investigation can be in this top-notch procedural.

March 26, 2012
Oldham’s solid 17th Henry Christie mystery (after 2011’s Facing Justice) finds the Lancashire detective superintendent living with his 23-year-old daughter and a new love interest way too soon in his mind after the death of his wife—even though, during their rocky time together, Henry had enjoyed other love affairs. Amid this emotional turmoil, Henry looks into the brutal murder of college student Natalie Philips. While the most obvious suspect is her boyfriend, Natalie had taken a recent shine to characters more generally profiled as Islamic terrorists. Henry’s friend of a dozen years, former FBI man Karl Donaldson, works the terrorist angle. The complex plot thickens as investigations lead to a one-time narcotics detective out of Blackpool, Steve Flynn, whom Henry had drummed out of the force, as well as constable and sex offender Paul Driver, who comes out of nowhere to make a startling confession. Despite the muted tone, Oldham keeps readers on edge through the local and international mayhem.