Whitethroat

The third book in the DI Nicholas Lowry series is set in 1983 in Essex, with social tensions bubbling beneath the surface and a deadly standoff in Colchester hogging the headlines. The military police are attempting to keep the matter confined within military ranks, but the blood from the duel runs into civilian police affairs, and the trail presents CID with a local rogues gallery.

Format: Paperback / softback
Length: 448 pages
Publication date: 24 November 2022
Publisher: Quercus Publishing

The third book in the DI Nicholas Lowry series, for fans of Peter James and Stuart Macbride.

It's November 1983 in Essex, and there are reasons to be cheerful. Uptown Girl is sitting pretty at the top of the charts, Risky Business is raking it in at the box office, and there are now four channels on the telly. However, social tensions are beginning to bubble beneath the surface: Mrs. Thatcher has embarked on her second controversial term, and the situation in Northern Ireland is ever-escalating.

Yet in the garrison town of Colchester, it's another deadly standoff that is hogging the headlines. The body of a nineteen-year-old Lance Corporal has been discovered on the local High Street, the result of what appears to be a bizarre, chivalrous duel. It seems he was the victim of a doomed army love triangle. As such, the military police are wishing to keep the matter confined within military ranks.

This is all just fine, as far as Colchester CID is concerned. They have enough on their plate as is: with DI Nick Lowry in a tailspin following the breakdown of his marriage, WPC Jane Gabriel exasperated by the male-favored system, Detective Daniel Kenton relying on substance abuse to quieten his demons from his last case; and their boss, DCS Sparks, shortly to become a first-time father at 55.

However, it is not long before the blood from the duel runs into civilian police affairs, and the trail presents CID with a local rogues' gallery. A savvy entrepreneur. A wayward skinhead. A member of the landed gentry. And a shadowy Mauritian travel agent with a chilling reputation. Soon, they will discover, a real estate deal, a racist, and the town's Robin Hood pub hold the key to the killing.

As the investigation unfolds, the team must navigate a complex web of lies, deceit, and betrayal, all while dealing with their own personal demons and struggles. Lowry must confront his past and the ghosts of his marriage, Gabriel must come to terms with her gender biases, Kenton must face the consequences of his addiction, and Sparks must navigate the challenges of being a new father.

In the end, the team must work together to uncover the truth and bring the killer to justice. But the road to closure is not an easy one, and they will face many obstacles along the way.

Uptown Girl is a thrilling and suspenseful novel that takes readers on a journey through the dark underbelly of 1980s Essex. With its complex characters, intricate plot, and atmospheric setting, it is a must-read for fans of crime fiction and historical fiction alike.

Weight: 316g
Dimension: 129 x 197 x 32 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9781529401110