Echoes of Lies

November 19, 2001
Deviating from her popular police procedurals (Changelings, etc.), British veteran Bannister introduces a new mystery series that's both fresh and different. Brodie Farrell, recently divorced and the single parent of a four-year-old, runs her own search service, Looking for Something? When a woman asks her to find a man in a photograph who she says has cheated her out of a great deal of money, Brodie, whose only prior detective experience has been limited to finding antique books and cranberry glass epergnes, accepts the case and soon tracks down and identifies the man as mathematics teacher Daniel Hood. After thugs torture, shoot and leave Daniel for dead, Brodie, plagued with guilt, dutifully reports her involvement to the police. When it becomes apparent that Daniel was an innocent victim, Brodie joins him in an investigation that will lead them into a world of the very rich where the life of a child is in jeopardy, money is all important and truth has no value. Lies abound from beginning to end in a plot that twists and turns until its surprising conclusion. As usual, the author skillfully juxtaposes a complex puzzle with insightful character studies. Particularly poignant here is the sensitivity with which she treats Daniel's psychological state as he tries to recover. Brodie is intelligent but sometimes impetuous, caring but sometimes overzealous. But then again, she's new at this work. Committed Bannister fans and those fond of psychological mysteries will welcome Brodie's debut.

December 1, 2001
This series debut stars Brodie Farrell, a finder of things and people in Dimmock, England. She locates a man in a photograph but discovers later that her client had the man tortured, shot, and left for dead. Feeling horribly guilty about her role in causing his pain, Brodie bonds with the victim, uncovers a kidnapping involving a moneyed but ruthless family, and helps solve the case. Bannister leans heavily on psychological interplay, especially among Brodie, the torture survivor, and Dimmock's Inspector Jack Deacon, but police procedure and setting add their bit as well. An excellent beginning; for fans of British police procedurals and Bannister's other series.

Copyright 2001 Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

December 1, 2001
British genre veteran Bannister debuts a new series. Brodie Farrell, a single mother and professional finder of lost things (from antique china to missing persons), is hired to track down a man, Daniel Hood, who is subsequently tortured by order of those who wanted him found. Brodie learns of his ordeal and assuages her guilt by taking him in while his scars heal. They join forces to determine why he was targeted and end up deeply involved in a wealthy family's kidnapping crisis, avoiding police involvement, much to the irritation of the inspector assigned to Daniel's case. Although Brodie will be the star of the series, her character is perhaps the least developed. The dialogue is wordy, and the actions of the players are often a step removed from believability--people move too quickly from confusion to clarity, from mistrust to trust. They do harbor interesting secrets, though, and these make for a gripping plot. A flawed but intriguing start to a new series. Give it a chance to improve.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2001, American Library Association.)