The Dead Room

By Chris Mooney (Penguin, RRP $25)

 

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Thrillers & Mysteries

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I enjoy a good old-fashioned murder mystery and this book certainly delivers plenty of murder and mystery.

This is the third book to feature CSI Darby McCormick, a ballsy woman law enforcement officer who gets things done. Don't be put off if you haven't read the earlier books: I was a Darby McCormick newbie but was pulled into the story effortlessly. Sure, there were some intriguing hints at earlier storylines with mention of the heroine's scars but they were enough to convince me to hunt out the first two books for later reading rather than offputting.

The story kicks off with an awful home invasion that leaves a woman dead and her son in hospital. The body count rises from there at breakneck speed, and ghosts from 20 years ago resurface to make the whole thing even messier.

Add to that a cop who actually seems to have no qualms about shooting the bad guys, an explosion and a spectacular little plot twist that I didn't see coming and this book's got it all.

- © Fairfax NZ News