The last thing you would think of, when entering the rarified world of antique bookselling, is murder. Of course there are rivalries when big money is involved, and collecting valuable historical archives doesn't come cheap. So who murdered Ed Squire, son of Torquil Squire, who is one of the most renowned and respected antique book dealers in Bristol?
Detective Sergeant George Cross has been given this case, but he finds himself somewhat off his game. His father Raymond decides to have a very serious operation, but Cross does not agree with his decision. Unfortunately, there are complications with Raymond's recovery, and Cross must cope with unfamiliar emotions. To add to the situation, his partner has been promoted and she put off telling him. When her promotion was revealed at the station, he felt betrayed and out of sorts.
Even so, there was a case to be solved. Torquil was in the city to attend an auction and he was going to visit his son at the bookshop after the event. But when he arrived, he found his son in a pool of blood on the floor. When Cross arrived, he heard Ed's niece locked in a bathroom, too traumatized to speak. So who done it...was it the niece who turned out to be the only eyewitness, was it any of the other dicey members of Squire's family, was it a rival bookseller who had finally had enough of his double dealing-or could it have been the Russians?
This is the third book that I've read in the DS George Cross mystery series and, like the others, it was fascinating. The mystery, of course, is important, but the characters are what bring you back, especially Detective Cross who is on the spectrum and is only interested in facts. When he decides that the only logical way to respond to his father's illness is to resign his job as detective to take care of him, his father (and the reader) don't believe it-but it's a choice he has to make...or does he? We hope he chooses wisely.
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