Buried

June 27, 2016
British author Masterton’s fast-moving if improbable sixth crime thriller featuring Irish Det. Supt. Katie Maguire (after 2015’s Blood Sisters) intertwines two story lines. The first is the mystery surrounding the mummified corpses of a family found beneath the floorboards of a cottage in Blarney, Cork. All the bodies—even a baby and two pet dogs—were shot execution-style in the back of head. As Maguire investigates the bizarre case dating back to the 1920s, she must also covertly deal with a vicious criminal who has abducted her former husband in retaliation for Maguire targeting his lucrative tobacco smuggling business. Steeped in bloody atmospherics and visceral imagery, the story suffers from more than a few highly unlikely plot points, such as Maguire too easily locating the house where her ex is being held and a too tidy conclusion. Still, those who have a high tolerance for gore and a healthy dose of Irish patois should be satisfied.