DEAD ENDS Nicholas Rhea Constable £16.99hbk Rel: Nov 2003 Reviewed by Reviewed by John Escott

Why has a small-time villain, member of a family of villains, apparently vanished off the face of the earth? Detective Superintendent Mark Pemberton initiates a search, using two of his most competent officers, one of which is his live-in partner, DC Lorraine Cashmore. Lorraine and fellow officer Andy Williams set about investigating the apparent disappearance of Darren Mallory, but all enquiries seem to lead to dead ends (hence the title of the book). Darren is an expert at keeping most of his activities out of sight of the police and is a dab hand at giving them the slip when under surveillance. So there is not much for Andy and Lorraine to go on. Furthermore, Lorraine gradually comes to believe that Mark Pemberton is not keeping her and Andy entirely in the picture. Is there a secret police operation underway which is somehow connected to Mallory`s disappearance?

The frustration of coming up against dead end after dead end begins to take its toll. Then several interesting facts emerge. It seems likely that Mallory may have been abducted following a fake police roadblock. But was it fake, or just hush-hush police work? It also comes to light that young Darren took a particular interest in crimes that offered substantial rewards. And there is evidence that he was getting a lot of money from somewhere before he vanished; buying a car and paying cash, etc.

For anyone interested in the modus operandi of police work, this is a `police procedural` that will appeal. Personally I felt there was a little more detail (and therefore repetition) than I wanted. But it has the feel of authenticity, even if some of the dialogue between officers is a bit too stiff and punctilious (they sometimes sound as if they`re referring to their notebooks before they speak). And these are not colourful Dalziel-like officers, or those with Rebus-like problems. They are more the kind you would come across in Heartbeat, and who is to say that they aren`t the more accurate portrayals of serving detectives? Not me.

It`s a pleasant-enough read but not one which will keep you up late wanting to know how it comes out in the end.