Persons Unknown

Starred review from May 8, 2017
Det. Insp. Manon Bradshaw is back in Steiner’s stellar sequel to 2016’s Missing, Presumed. Although she’s officially assigned to missing persons cases, Manon couldn’t be more interested in the inquiry into the stabbing murder of London wealth manager Jon-Oliver Ross, given the case’s personal ties to her family. After her brief stint in London, during which she adopted her 12-year-old son, Fly Dent, Manon decided to return home to Cambridgeshire, much to Fly’s dismay; he hates being the only black boy in a predominantly white village. Racial profiling is everywhere; Fly soon becomes the prime—and only—suspect in the murder of Ross, who came to Cambridgeshire to visit his ex-girlfriend and son—Manon’s sister, Ellie, and nearly three-year-old nephew, Solomon. Manon’s old team, including her former underling, the recently promoted Det. Sgt. Davy Walker, seem quick to jump to conclusions and align the evidence so that it points to Fly as the culprit. Steiner grapples with serious social justice issues in a darkly humorous crime novel not to be missed. Agent: Eleanor Jackson, Dunow, Carlson & Lerner.

Starred review from April 1, 2017
Steiner's (Missing, Presumed, 2016, etc.) intrepid, dysfunctional detective, Manon Bradshaw, returns on a case that quickly becomes personal.When we last saw Manon, she had adopted Fly, an orphan closely related to her last case, and they were moving in with Manon's sister, Ellie, and her toddler, Solomon, in London. A year or two has passed, and the unlikely family unit has moved back to the familiar world of Cambridgeshire, where Manon is stuck working cold cases--and she's five months pregnant, having decided to give up the wait for "Mr. Right" and take matters into her own hands. She's concerned about Fly, now one of the only black kids in the neighborhood, and the fact that he's 12 going on 20. When a wealthy London banker is found stabbed in nearby Hinchingbrooke Park, Davy and Harriet, Manon's friends and co-workers, quickly discover that he's Ellie's ex-boyfriend--and Solomon's father. But before they can fully investigate this connection, their Chief Superintendent shuts them down and strongly suggests, instead, that they arrest Fly, who's been caught on camera walking through the park at the time of the murder. As in her previous novel, Steiner does not shy away from exploring the racist aspects of the justice system; this only works because she has crafted such complex and believable characters. There is no doubt that Manon is barely making it from day to day, but her heart is always in the right place, and for all her awkwardness, she once again proves to be a great cop--and a fierce mother. A second adventure that strikes all the right notes--layered mystery, incisive cultural context, and a delightful protagonist who deserves a place alongside other beloved literary detectives.

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Starred review from May 1, 2017
When we first met 39-year-old Detective Sergeant Manon Bradshaw (Missing, Presumed, 2016), she was something of a legend in the Cambridgeshire Major Incident Division, a woman determined to live life on her own terms. A few years have gone by, during which she attempted relocating to London for the sake of her adopted son, Fly, an adolescent crippled by loss yet extremely sensitive and self-directed. But he was constantly being stopped by police immediately suspicious of a black kid in a hoodie, and Manon began to worry that he was falling in with the wrong crowd. They have moved back to Cambridgeshire, where she finds herself relegated to the cold-cases unit, five months pregnant but still single and hoping the lighter workload will provide more time to spend with Fly and prepare for her special delivery. Instead, Manon finds herself on the brink of exhaustion, investigating on her own when a wealthy businessman is found stabbed and Fly becomes the prime suspect. Steiner's journalism experience serves her well here, and she has created a masterful mystery within an engaging narrative perfect for Kate Atkinson fans. Readers will be astonished by the unexpected turns at the conclusion, which will leave fans eagerly awaiting the next book. This series needs to be snapped up by the BBC or PBS.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2017, American Library Association.)

February 1, 2017

Det. Manon Bradshaw is working 9-to-5 cold cases when the London banker found murdered near police headquarters proves to be sister Ellie's former flame and the father of her toddler son. Following Missing, Presumed, a big debut last year.

Copyright 2017 Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

Starred review from July 1, 2017

Det. Manon Bradshaw, single and five months pregnant, has transferred back to Cambridgeshire to work cold cases. She sets up house with her 12-year-old adopted son, Fly; her sister, Ellie; and Ellie's toddler, Solly. The move from London, and Manon's attempt to balance work and life hasn't been successful and the combined household is stressed and unhappy. The murder of a wealthy businessman turns out to be connected to Manon's family; when Fly becomes the main suspect, Manon is pitted against her colleagues. It's quite a full plate she has to balance: the unexpected possibility of a new love, the effects of family secrets and ineffective communication, as well as her visceral anger and fear about Fly's arrest. With its multiple viewpoints, this follow-up to the acclaimed Missing Presumed is another engrossing stunner, incorporating social justice issues into the narrative along with superb plotting, dark humor, and excellent characterizations. VERDICT Perfect for admirers of Kate Atkinson's books. [See Prepub Alert, 1/4/17.]--ACT

Copyright 2017 Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

July 1, 2017

Det. Manon Bradshaw, single and five months pregnant, has transferred back to Cambridgeshire to work cold cases. She sets up house with her 12-year-old adopted son, Fly; her sister, Ellie; and Ellie's toddler, Solly. The move from London, and Manon's attempt to balance work and life hasn't been successful and the combined household is stressed and unhappy. The murder of a wealthy businessman turns out to be connected to Manon's family; when Fly becomes the main suspect, Manon is pitted against her colleagues. It's quite a full plate she has to balance: the unexpected possibility of a new love, the effects of family secrets and ineffective communication, as well as her visceral anger and fear about Fly's arrest. With its multiple viewpoints, this follow-up to the acclaimed Missing Presumed is another engrossing stunner, incorporating social justice issues into the narrative along with superb plotting, dark humor, and excellent characterizations. VERDICT Perfect for admirers of Kate Atkinson's books. [See Prepub Alert, 1/4/17.]--ACT

Copyright 2017 Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.