Public Face, Private Vice is a brilliant police procedural
Public Face Private Vice
by Keith Wainman Mystery & Thrillers Pub Date Sep 28, 2015 Description
A gripping crime novel and the second in the series of books featuring charismatic Chief Super Charlie Smith. Charlie Smith, of the Murder and Serious Crime Squad, finds that his team have landed a case where everyone seems to have something to hide. The death of a BBC presenter leads them to the heart of the broadcasting establishment in their search for the killer. But how is it that the culprit is always one step ahead of them..? Keith Wainman’s first book, Why Was She Killed? introduced us to Chief Superintendent Charlie Smith, a policeman with few friends in high places. Public Face Private Vice takes us back into his world in a bid to outsmart the killer. Review It takes more than a brilliant crime to make a truly great police procedural. Part of what makes Public Face, Private Vice a truly exceptional police procedural is the team of professionals working together to solve the case. Chief Superintendent Charlie Smith and his unique band of detectives are a pleasure to read about. Not only are they thorough and dedicated, they have a sense of humor and work well together. The variety of personalities that make up the Serious Crime Squad is a delight for jaded readers. Personally, I loved the good natured teasing and jokes that went back and forth, as well as how they were able to get the better of recalcitrant suspects - particularly nobs who feel they are above the law. The other essential element is a thrilling, complex mystery with a wide variety of suspects and motives. Public Face, Private Vice definitely has that. What starts as a standard murder inquiry into the death of a famous, but unpopular BBC interviewer leads the squad into a tangled web of blackmail, high class prostitution, and insider trading. I am thoroughly enamoured with Wainman's writing. He knows how to hook readers and keep them engrossed. Public Face, Private Vice is a fantastic police procedural, certain to please fans of the genre. 5/5 I received a copy of Public Face, Private Vice from the publisher and netgalley.com in exchange for an honest review. --Crittermom
