Severn House, 2015.
Review published Jan 2017.
A DCI Monika Paniatowski Mystery.
I'm a fan of murder mysteries set in the modern U.K., which means police procedurals, British style. A Detective Chief Inspector (DCI) is about the lowest ranking officer to be quite in charge of a murder investigation, leading a team of DIs, DSs, and DCs, not to mention the uniforms to back them up. The DCI interacts with bosses, the media, forensics, and directs the attention of the investigators.
That's the job that Monika Paniatowski wants to do, and she does it quite well, thank you.
I particularly enjoyed the team spirit, which, I believe, reflects the leadership of a woman. Instead of a lot of backbiting, Paniatowski's team works together, goes to the pub together, and respects one another's talents and foibles.
Which is not to say that they don't have personalities. They do, and personal lives as well, but The Job binds them together.
Best Served Cold is a theatrical story, which means the team has to deal with self-centered stage performers who have a natural talent for deception. There are plenty of suspects and precious little hard evidence to narrow them down, so a great deal relies on the discovery of motives and skillful interrogation. There are even some fan(atic)s to muddy the waters.
A fast and enjoyable read.