Death Ride

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.

February 1, 2023
Former cop Henry Christie always seems to attract trouble, and in his latest adventure, the trouble on offer is both horrific and life-changing. Before this latest crisis hits, Henry is settling into retirement in the small village where he runs a pub with his stepdaughter, Ginny. He likes the quieter lifestyle, and this year he's involved in the annual village fete, which is proving unexpectedly entertaining until a teenage girl goes missing from the grounds. When Henry spots Lenny Lennox--a pedophile and violent thief he put in prison decades ago--running a burger stand at the fete, he suspects Lennox of being involved in the girl's disappearance. Then, after two fete attendees are attacked and robbed, and others report their phones, wallets, and cameras missing, Henry is convinced that Lennox is behind the crime wave. This is a brutal, gut-wrenching read with a roller-coaster ride of a plot, full of suspense and vividly portrayed characters. Another fine entry in this long-running series.

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