Gallows Lane: An Inspector Devlin Novel 2

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The ability to comment on our stories is a privilege, not a right, however, and that privilege may be withdrawn if it is abused or misused. So pleased I discovered this author, really good intricate plot lines, characters you actually like and care for, and I love how the author ends the books, a really good cover of all that's gone on and how it ended up. Slowly, however, I was drawn ever further into the book, all the careful groundwork laid out in the early stages gaining its significance as the various threads are pulled ever tighter. Health in the UK is strongly tied to age as you would expect, but the affluence of a neighbourhood also has strong influence, with deprived areas often showing poorer standards of health. I know, Ellery Queen didn't come after Columbo, but I think they surprised us with the originality of that guy when he came along).

There are lots of twists and turns to hold the reader’s interest as the death toll keeps rising and there is also plenty of fast-moving action and a satisfying conclusion as the story reaches its climax. In 1805 the townspeople had witnessed the hanging of 17 year old Mary Morgan for the killing of her child - a tragic case which had affected all who had been present which had even included the sentencing judge who was known to visit her grave until his own death a decade later. Devlin battles internally with what is right and what is wrong as his wife challenges his loyalty to their family. It's easy to think that with this only being a second in a series, this will be a top Irish police procedural series as this has it all, well-crafted plot, great characterisation, realistic dialogue, a different setting, superb prose - what more can I add!Gallows Lane, Westham, Pevensey, BN24 5AA is within the Pevensey and Westham policing neighbourhood, under the Sussex Police force area.

Following the recent death of Robbie Coltrane, it made me think that (as "Cracker") he would have fired up the narrative for me.For example, we get little sense of Devlin's wife, or the principal victims or perpetrators, or some of his colleagues, with little in the way of back stories and motivations. The sophomore outing in the Ben Devlin series of novels by this author is a step in the right direction, in my opinion.