Deadly Games, by Sally Rigby, is a book I found in my audio library that I had completely forgotten about, so it's been there for some time, languishing in the shadows. It is the first in a series where we are introduced to DCI Whitney Walker, a single mother who has worked hard to get to where she is in the police force. However, a recent error has put all this effort into jeopardy and her job hangs in the balance. So when a serial killer begins a murderous spree on the local university campus, it's a chance to prove herself worthy of her position by catching the killer swiftly. Coming to her aid ... kind of .. is Dr Georgina Cavendish, a lecturer in forensic psychology, who offers her assistance when one of the victims turns out to be her student. And so begins a cat and mouse game between the killer and those trying to stop them. Walker and Cavendish are both strong characters who definitely don't always agree, with the resulting tension and mistrust threatening to derail things. The investigation takes us down many possible roads and there are some lovely twists and turns that will keep you guessing until the end. I did like the premise, especially with two female leads, but there was something that didn't quite gel with me that I can't quite put my finger on. Yes, I was kept guessing for much of the time, and yes, I enjoyed most of the characters, but I think some elements were a little formulaic and repetitive. And when Walker's own daughter becomes a target of the killer, that kind of irritated me. This is a perfectly "enjoyable" police procedural which I could see being made into a TV series, but it doesn't quite hit the heights of Ian Rankin, Val McDermid or Jo Nesbo. Would definitely recommend as a holiday read however, and it may be that if I were to read another in the series, I would be more familiar and invested in the characters which might grip me more than this first outing.
My STAR rating: THREE stars.
Length: 260 print pages.
Price I paid: unknown
Formats available: print, unabridged audio download, ebook.
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