Dead Beat

August 8, 2011
For all its youthful fabulousness, swinging early ’60s London has a decidedly darker side, as aspiring photographer Kate O’Donnell quickly discovers in this promising first in a new series from Hall (Devil’s Game). Fresh out of art college in her native Liverpool, where she hung with the likes of John Lennon, intrepid Kate is determined to crack the shooters’ boys’ club—as well as to track down missing big brother Tom. But her initial inquiries around the dodgy streets of Soho lead her to an apartment where a young gay man was recently murdered and from which his lover, who fits Tom’s description, has vanished. As she races to stay a step ahead of the charming but morally suspect Det. Sgt. Harry “Flash” Barnard, Kate stumbles into a high-stakes gangland power struggle. For readers not put off by talk of “poofters” and “nancy-boys,” this is a suspenseful ride with a detective duo well worth rejoining.

October 1, 2011

Kate's aspirations to be a professional photographer are fairly revolutionary for the early 1960s. A gutsy attitude and talent get her an agency job in London. Meanwhile, she's worried about Tom, her older brother who also left their native Liverpool for London. Imagine Kate's fright when she learns that Tom's roommate--an aspiring actor who worked as a gay prostitute--was recently murdered. DS Harry Barnard is spinning his wheels on this homicide, leading him to think that something more sinister than a minor sex crime is at work. Meanwhile, Jimmy, a young street orphan who witnessed the slaying, is hiding from the villains. Consider the dangers connected to the sex trade. Clearly, Kate, Jimmy, and even our detective need to watch their backs. VERDICT London is more gritty than swinging in this intense procedural laden with early 1960s trivia and music references (Beatles, anyone?). Veteran author Hall (Devil's Game) offers a fresh picture of a time period ripe for a new series.

Copyright 2011 Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

September 1, 2011
It's the Swinging Sixties in London, the perfect place for budding photographer Kate O'Donnell, a young, ambitious Liverpool lass, to be. She's come to London not only to find fame but also to find her brother, Tom, who ran away from home months earlier. She's lucky enough to be taken on by a photography studio, and her work there leads her to discover that her brother might be involved in the murder of a gay man. When Kate meets jaded vice-squad detective Harry Barnard, it's dislike at first sight, until she discovers that there's a softer side to Harry and, better yet, that he has plans to help her find her brother and prove his innocence. Although this tale sets off at a slow trot, it picks up speed about halfway through and gallops to a satisfying finish. A cheerful but gutsy heroine, a cop with a tough exterior masking a soft heart, the nostalgic 1960s background, and plenty of unexpected twists make the novel an engaging and enjoyable read.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2011, American Library Association.)