When a worker goes missing from a North Sea gas platform, there seem to be just two possible explanations – it was a tragic accident or a suicide. It does not take Smith and his detectives long, however, to discover that James Bell led a double life back onshore in Kings Lake, a life complicated enough to make him at least one dangerous enemy. Before the case can be unraveled, Smith must get a new team working together; Waters and Murray are still there, but one of Wilson’s men is transferred to him, and the female detective constable from Longmarsh poses some unexpected problems for her new sergeant. Together they begin to investigate the links between the companies and the people that bring ashore the oil and gas, and they also find themselves caught up in the seamier side of life that exists beneath Lake’s everyday comings and goings. Jo Evison begins to delve more deeply into the story of the Andretti murders, and Smith himself has to face the fact that he might no longer be considered fit for duty.

IN A NUTSHELL
Nicely written, as always. A strong start, but the focus slowly drifted from the plot to an elegiac reflection on the inner life of DC Smith, and then meandered to a realistic but unsatisfying stop. 

‘Luck And Judgement‘ was my third visit with DC Smith. I read the first two books in this series, ‘An Accidental Death‘ and ‘But For The Grace‘ in 2019. 

‘Luck And Judgement’ was a slightly disappointing read. It opened well, went on for too long, mutated from a police procedural into an elegiac reflection on the life of a widowed policeman who may have been in the job too long and then didn’t so much end as run out of energy. 

The descriptions of the people were vivid and credible. There were a few memorable scenes: the first trip to the platform, the undercover visit to the club and the interrogation of the person Smith most wanted to charge with murder. The police procedural aspects of the story seemed believable as did the team dynamics. The reality being described wasn’t particularly tense or dramatic. The sub-plot around Smith’s fitness served no purpose except to trigger Smith to launch into morose ruminations and nostalgic remembrances that distracted from the plot.

For me, the main appeal of this series is the cadence of Peter Grainger’s prose. It’s easy on the ear without being bland or simple, like listening to Spanish guitar music that slips into your mind as familiar and stays because it’s surprisingly fresh. 

The mystery plot is the wrought iron arch the text grows over, elegant and twisty, built to display the characters who drive the narrative, so I didn’t expect high drama. I also didn’t expect the book to lose its way and run out of momentum. 

I’m hoping the next one in the series will be better because I’d like to listen to more of Peter Grainger’s prose and Gildart Jackson’s excellent narration. Click on the YouTube link below to hear how Jackson delivers Grainger’s words.