Gritty sequel to Phoenix, also staring Karen Sharpe, the Yorkshire DC with a dark past. This time she’s on the trail of historic paedophile allegations which surface just as the 13 year old daughter of a judge is kidnapped
Excellent second novel featuring Yorkshire Detective Constable Karen Sharpe.
The daughter of a Bradford judge is kidnapped and a massive, round-the-clock investigation begins. Knowing the chances of Sophie surviving will diminish dramatically after the first twenty-four hours, Detective Chief Superintendent John Munro begins to crack under the pressure of holding together an enquiry swamped with leads.
Meanwhile, DC Karen Sharpe is pursuing her own single-handed enquiry into historic child abuse allegations when an MP is accused of rape ten years before. The task of finding corroboration looks hopeless, but Sharpe keeps at it - anything rather than face up to her own tangled personal life. The truth is more complex and frightening, leading back to still unresolved events from a year before.
Karen's enquiry uncovers connections with the kidnapping, and, in an explosion of violence and bloodshed, Karen is left fighting not just to find Sophie, but to save herself.
John Connor is 38 years old, a barrister, employed since 1988 by the Crown Prosecution Service. He runs a team of prosecutors working out of Richmond Close Police Station in Halifax.