REVIEW

Review - THE POLITICS OF MURDER, Reece Pocock

Reviewed By
Karen Chisholm

"Part One

The Dump

Constable Mark Jenkins woke and gazed at the stars.

He sensed a presence and lifted his head.

Someone with large eyes was staring at him. Maybe he was dreaming. At first, Mark did not perceive the danger. A face, covered in night-vision glasses, sighted down the long barrel of a handgun. Something was odd, and then it hit him.

The weapon had a silencer."

The opening sequence of THE POLITICS OF MURDER continues from here for a few paragraphs, and then rapidly shifts focus to a Major Crime Squad in South Australia, leaving quite a few questions in the readers mind. "The Dump - what?" "Large eyes / night vision glasses / starlight - how?" and "Constable Mark Jenkins / Senior Constable Brian Cross (not included in the above quote) - who?"

Switching the focus from there to the Major Crimes Squad and more titled cops means that there's a lot happening in rapid succession. Obviously intended to get the reader hooked, and interested instantly. Which meant very much that the success or failure of THE POLITICS OF MURDER hinges on maintaining that interest and the hook living up to any potential flagged.

Unfortunately for this reader, it didn't. Starting out with a vaguely confusing "what" question, which didn't seem to get answered quickly enough to provide context, or a "how" question that didn't quite jell and a "who" which did eventually fall into place meant that from the start of this book, try as I might, I couldn't get with the program. Immediately it felt a bit like I was processing continuity problems, although it could simply be a question of taste, as I will plead a preference for less decoration and more cutting to the point (for example I'm not at all sure what the handset has to do with anything in the following quote).

But given that taste is so particular, if that opening and the start of Chapter One immediately following:

"The intercom sounded in the Major Crime Squad of the South Australian Police, Detective Sergeant Dan Brennan took the call. 'Will you and Mac step into my office, please?" said Detective Senior Sergeant Rachael Anderson.

'Okay', said Dan.

'As quickly as you can.'

Part Aboriginal Detective Senior Constable Ben McLean, known by all as just Mac, replaced the handset in the cradle.

Dan walked up and tapped him on the shoulder 'Rachael wants us.'"

appeal than this second book by SA based Author Reece Pocock should go on your reading list.

BOOK DETAILS
BOOK INFORMATION
Author
ISBN
9781502394439
Year of Publication
BLURB

A sanctioned murder and all hell breaks loose! The Politics of Murder is a story of the greed inherent in man and his disregard for the consequences. While scientists developed the nuclear fuel, they failed to produce a safe waste storage system. When a clandestine facility is built in Western Australia, an equally secret mercenary force is set up without the knowledge of the Government. Dan Brennan and Mac McLean are back again in this exciting yet challenging thriller of thrillers. Instead of a simple case of murder, the two detectives find themselves embroiled in a conspiracy that extends up the line of command to the very top. When an assassination team is sent to execute them, it can only mean one thing... the Prime Minister himself has betrayed them.

Review Review - THE POLITICS OF MURDER, Reece Pocock
Karen Chisholm
Wednesday, June 24, 2015
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