Connolly, John: The Wrath of Angels

Two old friends out hunting in the forests of Maine come across a crashed plane in which they
find a large pile of cash which they divide and are then careful with how they spend it, often
anonymously giving cash to thosein need in their community.   Their secret is known only to
the brother of one and the daughter of another.   They ask Charlie Parker to find the plane
which has remained undiscovered to the present day.   He agrees and finds himself involved in
various event which bring in characters from previous books until the finale at the site of the
plane which involves supernatural happenings.   Again, the book is well written, almost too
much so for a thriller, the occasional digressions tending to slow down what is already a rather
leisurely exposition.  Connolly is, however, skilled enough to ensure that the reader's interest
is held.   With books like this, I do sometimes wonder how the book is written - is there a
simple abc plot which is then elaborated or is the plot developed almost chronologically with
diversions occuring almost by accident.

Fowler, Christopher: Bryant and May Strange Tide

A young woman's body is found chained to a post on the banks of the River Thames in a place
with very limited access.   The Peculiar Crimes Unit are given the case which seems insoluble.
It is discovered that the dead woman had been taking courses at a  life-style clinic  which seems
to be above board.   However, the clinic is owned by an Armenian refugee who somehow got
to London and set up a new identity for himself which he changed when it suited his plans.  His
female partner runs the clinic and knows about his background.   Bryant is technically off duty
through illness as he keeps having hallucinations about the past but it turns out later in the book
that he had been poisoning himself with fumes from the silver skull he kept on his desk.   This
discovery leads to his being cured but May is then suspected of murder, not only because he
was the last known person with the murdered woman but mainly because his scarf was used to
strangle her.   With the usual digressions into the byways ofLondon's history, especially the
more obscure elements, the story maintains a good pace until the final chapter.

Connolly, John: The Burning Soul

Set in the small Maine town of Pastor's Bay where a 14 year old girl has been abducted, the main
suspect is Randall Haight who lives alone and keeps apart from local affairs.   Charlie Parker is
asked by the lawyer representing him to investigate which he does even though he finds Haight a
dislikeable person.   He learns that Haight and another had previously killed a black girl when all
were in their early teens with both the murderers being released and given new identities.   In a
rather convoluted story it turns out that the other killer has also moved to Maine, well away from
the scene of the original crime.   The denouement comes as a surprise but not a far-fetched one.
The writing is denser than in most thrillers but none the worse for it.