‘Murder Ring’ by Leigh Russell

Published by No Exit Press,
26 May 2016.
ISBN: 978-1-84344-677-4

To all appearances, David Lester is an ordinary, decent man who makes one tragic mistake. He drinks too much on a night out with colleagues and talks too freely about the valuable, diamond engagement ring he has in his pocket, having just had it reset for his wife. Minutes later, David Lester is shot dead in an alley in Central London. Despite the likelihood that the assailant was a mugger, Detective Inspector Geraldine Steel and her CID colleagues have to explore all options, including examining David Lester's relationship with his family and friends.

It is a particularly difficult time for Geraldine: she is still mourning a colleague who was killed quite recently and she has to deal with a new senior officer who is so anxious to get a quick result that he is inclined to grab at convenient solutions. Also there is stress in Geraldine's personal life, with an unexpected development regarding the birth mother whom she has never met.

The police have a suspect under arrest and the new DCI believes the case is more or less over, although Geraldine is less convinced it is as simple as that. Then another man is killed with the same weapon and the investigation recommences with the police even more desperate to bring the case to a successful conclusion before the killer strikes again.

Murder Ring is the eighth book in the series featuring Geraldine Steel. In it the author shows the reader both the police investigation and the lives of the suspects, weaving the strands together to create a clever and complex whole. It is a fascinating and intricate book with police protagonists who are likeable and convincing both as individuals and as a team. Murder Ring is an excellent read and one which I would recommend.

------

Reviewer: Carol Westron

Leigh Russell studied at the University of Kent gaining a Masters degree in English and American literature. Formerly a secondary school English teacher, with the success of her Geraldine Steel series, Leigh now writes full-time. Her debut novel, Cut Short, was published in 2009 by No Exit Press in the UK, followed by Road Closed, Dead End, Death Bed, Stop Dead, Fatal Act and Killer Plan, all featuring detective Geraldine Steel, and Murder Ring will be published in 2016. Leigh also writes a spinoff series for Geraldine's sergeant, Ian Peterson. Cold Sacrifice and Race to Death are already published, to be followed by Blood Axe in late 2015. Leigh recently signed a three book deal with Thomas and Mercer for a new series featuring Lucy Hall. The first two titles in this series will be published in 2016. Leigh Russell is married with two daughters and lives in Middlesex.

leighrussell.co.uk/

Carol Westron is a successful short story writer and a Creative Writing teacher.  She is the moderator for the cosy/historical crime panel, The Deadly Dames.  Her crime novels are set both in contemporary and Victorian times.  The Terminal Velocity of Cats is the first in her Scene of Crimes novels, was published July 2013. Her second book About the Children was published in May 2014.

www.carolwestron.com