No Birds Sing

Bannister's three police officers work well together and complement each other's police work style. Frank Shapiro is a thirty year pro, Liz Graham is the first female detective on the force and Cal Donovan is a bit of a maverick, reckless and tenacious. In this case, a vicious gang of thieves have hit the city of Castlemere and Donovan infiltrates their organization. Added to this problem are a train robbery and a ring of dog fighters. Another story line addresses the search for a serial rapist and adds more suspense to the mix. The author handles the issue of rape with strength and intelligence. As always, Bannister delivers a taut story with believable characters.

Bannister has written a classic British police procedural. She has also addressed a very difficult subject - rape - with sensitivity and provided a viewpoint not often seen. Her characters are well-drawn and likable - even the minor ones. There's little mystery, but "watching" the two major characters in this outing solve the crime is fascinating.