Dead Crude by Chris Blackwater

My rating: 4 of 5 stars


I wondered how Blackwater would follow the claustrophobic tension of Emergency Drill. I need not have. Set on an island where oil workers and locals form mutually hostile communities, our PI protagonist has his work cut our investigating a murder which might not have happened. Blackwater sprinkles enough clues in our path to intrigue us but still produces a surprise final twist. The narrative is sprinkled with observational humour, starting with the pun of the title. Above all, the author's familiarity with the industry of the setting shines through. Strongly recommended.



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