The problem for Nathan, is that this is a small village and there are lots of secrets to be kept. As he digs deeper he discovers more about his neighbours than he would like, and of course upsets both them and the investigating team. Naturally there is another death, and Nathan thinks that he indeed might be next. Then of course there is Laura. A widower with grown up children scattered to the four corners of the world, but united in asking him to send them money, he feels that he might be ready for a certain level of involvement once more.

"Are you a Haggard Hawk or Bloodfeather?" asks one extremely batty witness. Nathan responds bloodfeather, whatever that is, but in reality he is haggard. Haggard through drinking and haggard through a barely controlled rage. He has been taught a trick when about to punch someone and this is to take an imaginery map from his pocket and slowly unfold it before selecting a location. It normally works, as long as he remembers where he left the map. This is a gritty cop for the Oxford area and he drives a leaking Land Rover, rather than a vintage Jag. He is digging up drug dealing, peeping toms, embezzlement and affairs, all around him. It's a lot for a small village, but you soon start suspecting everbody, even Hideki, Nathan's Japanese house guest who just turned up one day (sent by one of his daughters).

Barr gets his character just right, with the anger management being a clever addition. What with an unlevel table and a closed local to contend with, the right balance of domestic crisis and murder investigation in achieved. It may be a cliche to say that it keeps you guessing until the end, but it does exactly that!

This is the first novel to feature Nathan Hawk, and be sure to look out for the second, Jericho Road.

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