Fever of the Bone
Tony Hill Mystery No 6
Val McDermid

Harper /HarperCollins
September 2010 / ISBN 9780061986482
Suspense/ Police Procedural
Amazon

Reviewed by Barbara Buhrer

New Chief James Blake is skeptical about Tony Hill's contribution as a medical consultant, and the team's commitment to cold cases. He considers Hill too expensive. Chief Inspector Carol Jordon has to tread carefully on this. Hill turns to Worchester for work.

The team has a grisly case which involves the brutal murder and mutilation of teenagers who are lured to their deaths by the killer who befriends them on a social network web site, Rig Marole, which is the British equivalent of Facebook. The killer chats with his victims, pretends to share their interests and ultimately lures them to their deaths. There seems to be a connection between Tony's case and Carol's murders. Tony and Carol must shelve their complex personal relationship while working to solve their cases.

This is another of Val McDermid's tightly plotted novels. It is well written with a cast of characters who are human with flaws and strengths. The police work depicted in solving these cases is solid and painstaking. The complex relationship between Hill and Carol is developed in a most satisfactory manner.

Reviewer's Note: