A breath on dying embers

Denzil Meyrick has written another gripping installment in the DCI Daley series set in Kinloch, Scotland. When the cruise liner Great Britain spends a few days in the loch so wealthy passengers can learn more about what the area has to offer, go sightseeing and play golf, what could go wrong?

The story is revealed through a variety of voices as gradually the puzzle regarding an impending crime is unravelled. A bird watcher is murdered when trying to locate a rare gull. When a drone crashes into the Great Britain a body is located at the bottom of a cliff. A member of the ship's crew disappears and a police hunt is also underway for another man. Meanwhile authorities have placed a ban on the reporting of any of these events, making it difficult for the Kinloch police to carry out their investigations.

Along with the scenery around the ficticious Kinloch, the life events concerning Jim Daley and his team continue to form an important part of the book. Jim Daley discovers health problems that may terminate his police career. Liz, his wife, returns home with their son and her own issues. Much to his amazement DS Brian Scott is temporarily promoted to cover for Jim during his illness.

Once started, this novel was difficult to put down and the conclusion leaves the reader waiting for the next book to discover the result of the final episode in this book.