The Murder Bag

The Murder Bag by Tony Parsons

Published by Arrow

1st June 2015

Paperback Edition

     

Twenty years ago seven rich, privileged students became friends at their exclusive private school, Potter’s Field. Now they have started dying in the most violent way imaginable.

Detective Max Wolfe has recently arrived in the Homicide division of London’s West End Central, 27 Savile Row.

Soon he is following the bloody trail from the backstreets and bright lights of the city, to the darkest corners of the internet and all the way to the corridors of power.

As the bodies pile up, Max finds the killer’s reach getting closer to everything - and everyone - he loves.

Soon he is fighting not only for justice, but for his own life ...

This is the first instalment in Tony Parson's crime series featuring DC Max Wolfe.  As we are used to in many a crime novel, our detective is a broken man but in a change from the norm, he is not an alcoholic but a man who has lost his wife and has a young daughter to care for and protect.  I actually liked this addition to Wolfe's character, as a single parent you get to know him more personally than some other central characters in crime novels.  His daughter Scout and Mrs Murphy who looks after her make a nice addition to the story.

There are a lot of deaths in The Murder Bag and whilst initially there isn't anything apparent to link the murders of an investment banker and a homeless man, Wolfe is initially stumped.  Then more deaths occur.  A link is made between a group of men who were former students at a private school called Potter's Field, but the big question is, who is trying to kill these men, and for what reason?

The detail of the deaths are quite gory and the book does twist and turn but as a crime fan, I did enjoy it and am looking forward to reading the rest of the books in the series.  My only quibble is that Parson's feels the need to use every acronym used in the police force within his book, and to then explain what they mean as well. Maybe if it was so important we could have had a glossary at then end?

Happy Reading

Miss Chapter x