The Kings of London

It’s London in 1968, and Detective Sgt. Cathal “Paddy” Breen is overcome with the loss of his father, whom he had been tending to over time as sickness and dementia overtook him. The loss of his father is coupled with an unsolved death that he can’t solve. His obsession with the death further causes questions from coworkers who assume him to be a coward from an earlier case where he allegedly ran from a knife-wielding suspect. A new suspicious death involving the son of a politician leads to a pairing with a female officer, Helen Tozer, who is on her way out of a sexist department. Breen and Tozer’s investigation leads into murky areas of drugs, hippie utopias, and corruption. Will they be able to solve the case before a premature end is their reward?

Shaw’s characters are flawed, but never dull. The story moves along at a good clip, with the action building toward a thrilling conclusion. A must read!