A Taste for Burning

Having gulped the second and third volumes of Jo Bannister's Castlemere CID series in 24 hours, I am dizzy with admiration for this first-rate author. CHARISMA's plot includes a serial killer, a traveling preacher, the IRA, and a drug ring. A TASTE FOR BURNING includes a pyromaniac, a fascist-turned-animal-activist, a police cover-up, and the relationships between fathers and sons. Both are well-plotted and well-written, but that's beside the point. What makes this series a winner are its wit, its grit, and its characterization. The humor is dry and ironic. The portrayal of CID work in a small depressed British town is gritty and realistic; it is the very opposite of the cliche British village mystery--more like a small town version of "Prime Suspect" (the Helen Mirren series on PBS). The characterization is superb, especially the three sleuths: Chief Inspector Frank Shapiro, Inspector Liz Graham, and Sargeant Cal Donovan. Each is distinct, interesting but realistic, likeable yet flawed, and their relationships with each other and other characters are no small part of the appeal of this series. Readers of British procedurals ready for a dose of contemporary reality as well as readers of American procedurals ready for a jaunt abroad should enjoy this really well-written series. As for me, I'm going to buy #1 (A BLEEDING OF INNOCENTS) and #4 (NO BIRDS SING) immediately, and #5 (BROKEN LINES) just as soon as it gets into paperback!