Published by Sphere
Publication date - 20 June 2024
Source - review copy
This is one case Miller won't want to open . . .
Unconventional Detective Declan Miller has a problem. Still desperate to solve the murder of his wife, a young man has just appeared on his doorstep with a briefcase . . . containing a pair of severed hands.
Miller knows this case is proof of a contract killing commissioned by local ne'er do well Wayne Cutler - a man he suspects might also be responsible for his wife's death. Now Miller has leverage, but unfortunately he also has something that both Cutler and a villainous fast-food kingpin are desperate to get hold of.
Chuck in a Midsomer Murders-obsessed hitman, a psychotic welder and a woman driven over the edge by a wayward Crème Egg, and Miller is in a mess that even he might not be able to dance his way out of.
Detective Sergeant Declan Miller isn't known for his tact. He is known for being annoying, uncouth, sarcastic and inappropriate. So when he walks into the station with a briefcase and replies to the question of what he has in there with a cheery "a couple of severed hands" no one bats an eyelid. Except there are hands in the briefcase, delivered to him the night before by a rather scared petty thief.
The briefcase happened to belong to a hit man, who needs it back to ensure he gets paid for the last job. The local crime boss who hired him isn't bothered about paying him, the other local crime boss wants the first one out of the way and a third out of town crime boss wants a bit of peace and quiet so he can sell his saveloys thanks very much.
This is the second book to feature DS Miller and it's just as entertaining as the first. There are so many moments when I laughed out loud, and continued to laugh at one thing or another a few pages after I'd read it.
Declan is still grieving the death of his wife Alex, who was also a detective. Declan believes her murder was linked to one of her cases and there is the promise to find out who murdered her if he manages to catch the wayward hit man.
Alongside Declan there's his long suffering partner DS Sara Xiu and his dance group who try to help him solve the case whilst working on their foxtrot.
I loved every minute of The Wrong Hands. It's engaging, entertaining and very funny. It was a pleasure to revisit the characters and I hope it's not the last we see of them.
You can buy a copy of the book here.
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