Synopses & Reviews
This is Bill James' first mystery: a dark, menacing novel that introduced Detective Chief Superintendent Colin Harpur to readers in England and the United States.Harpur's domain is a small seaport city south of London. It's not unusual for the big-town criminals to consider such a spot as easy prey. At such times a policeman must rely keenly upon his colleagues, to be sure, and also upon his retinue of "narks," i.e., tipsters.
This time it's a Lloyd's branch that's the target. When the heist is postponed, a policeman is killed. One nark, then another, is murdered. As Harpur becomes driven to his limit, he must bypass regulations and settle things once and for all with a vicious crook named Holly. But not necessarily on his own terms.
About the Author
Bill James is the author of numerous internationally-acclaimed mysteries, including Girls, Wolves of Memory, Easy Streets and The Girl with the Long Back, in addition to numerous other novels and a critical study of Anthony Powell. He lives in Wales.