Marion Todd is a new figure in crime fiction. Her series featuring Detective Clare Mackay is nicely done. Mackay has recently moved to the university town of St Andrews, on the coast, just south of Dundee. She has moved to get away from her former world, because she shot a teenage boy in the course of duty, and is haunted by her action. A woman in the police, she still has to prove herself to a boss who seems to have it in for her. 

In this second novel in the series, a baby has been stolen from its pram at a public event. Mackay and her team are under severe time pressure, especially because the baby needs special medication to keep it alive. The baby’s parents seem to be unable to cope with the stress of their baby’s abduction. Mackay is systematic in her investigation. She is also very good at handling difficult situations. 

The series is good at detailing modern police procedure, or at least, gives the impression that Todd knows what she is writing about. Todd’s husband was a policeman which suggests she may be well acquainted with the everyday details. 

But the plot also unfolds naturally, with some moments of drama. Mackay is an appealing character. She has some flaws but she is deeply committed to her job and she is great at it. She is close to her team and cares for their welfare. She has a new boyfriend, and when she is under pressure she can be impatient. 

Todd’s performance of her own book in the unabridged audiobook is very good — better than most audiobooks read by their authors. 

Christian Perring is editor of Metapsychology Online.

Categories: Fiction

Keywords: detective fiction