Product Description

Someone is trying to blackmail the town of Castlemere, demanding a million pounds to stop tampering with public facilities and the stock of local shops. The casualty rate is rising and DS Shapiro is feeling the pressure. DI Liz Graham is feeling the pressure too, her husband is under suspicion.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #1939337 in Books
• Published on: 2001-10-19
• Original language: English
• Binding: Paperback
• 384 pages

From Publishers Weekly
In Bannister's seventh superior police procedural set in the town of Castlemere (The Hireling's Tale, etc.), Det. Insp. Liz Graham and Supt. Frank Shapiro must scramble to identify a psychopath whose alarming hoaxesDtainting a yogurt container and a school water supply with jellyDindicate how easily he could do real harm to the entire community. Then a young man turns up at the local hospital with what appears to be cholera, contracted from a bottle of contaminated cough syrup. Frightened townsfolk start to panic. Meanwhile, Det. Sgt. Cal Donovan is on forced holiday, exploring local waterways in his houseboat with his dog and battling a nasty cold. When he disappears, his co-workers fear that he, too, has been infected with cholera. Instead, he has sought refuge in the little village of East Beckham, a community that had fought for its survival from a similar threat years earlierDand that is highly suspicious of outsiders, including Donovan. In this crowded ensemble, the author skillfully delineates the main characters: Shapiro through his wit, Graham through her ambition and drive and the loner Donovan through his captivation with a small, odd child. Lovers of police procedurals will appreciate the good detective work that relies on intellect as much as muscle power. A simple, atmospheric jacket design offers a perfect complement to the text. (Nov.)
Copyright 2000 Reed Business Information, Inc.

About the Author
Jo Bannister was born in Rochdale. Lancashire, and grew up in Birmingham, Nottingham and Bangor, Northern Ireland. After leaving school at sixteen, she joined the County Down Spectator as office junior, leaving as editor in 1988 to pursue her career as an author. She has won several awards for her writing, including recognition from the Royal Society of Arts and the British Press Awards.