The Broken Afternoon (DI Wilkins Mysteries Book 2)

Product Information

Move over Morse. Simon Mason Oxford crime novel breathes fresh life into the police procedural’ Val McDermid Halfway through the book the story gains momentum, and it's like being on a rollercoaster, one clue after another follows, and as a reader you are regularly caught off guard, and when you think the culprit has finally been caught, another twist follows… Family is at the core of the story. There is the pain suffered by Poppy’s mother, the redemptive love Ryan shows for his son (little Ryan), the breakdown in relationship between Ray and Dianne and there are the lengths family members will go to protect one of their own. Ray begins to delve deeper, unearthing an underground network of criminal forces in the local area. But while Ray’s investigation stalls Ryan brings his unique talents to unofficial and quite illegal inquiries which will bring him into a confrontation with the very officials who have thrown him out of the force.

The killer of Poppy Clark is eventually ‘unmasked’, but perhaps that cliche is inappropriate, as he has been hiding in plain sight all along. The more squeamish male readers may want to skip the section towards the end set in the hospital maternity unit. It is superbly written, but graphic: I went through that experience with three of my four sons, but on the fourth occasion the ‘phone call came too late – or perhaps I drove to the hospital too slowly. This is the sort of book you just don’t want to put down. It goes into very dark areas at times when looking into the disappearance of the little girl, snatched by a paedophile. It shows a different side to Oxford, not the pretty tourist university’s town which most readers imagine.

The plot is well thought out, it’s gritty and tough in places as it’s an emotional theme. The pace is fast, there’s never a dull moment with some red herrings to keep you on your guessing toes. There’s excitement, danger and tension in several places. There’s increased momentum towards the finale and it has a good ending.

A four-year-old girl goes missing in plain sight outside her nursery in Oxford, a middle-class, affluent area, I haven’t read the first book in this series but that didn’t spoil my enjoyment of The Broken Afternoon at all – it was an easy read, with relatable characters and an exciting conclusion and I was able to dive straight in without feeling I’d missed a step”I absolutely loved the first book in this detective series which is set in Oxford, featuring two detectives, Ray and Ryan who both have the surname Wilkins.