The Blood-Dimmed Tide

John Madden #2

by Rennie Airth

His quiet family life in rural 1932 England shattered by the brutal murder of a young village girl, former inspector John Madden teams up with former Scotland Yard colleagues, the British secret service, and the German police in an investigation that forces them to draw on the burgeoning science of criminal psychology. By the author of River of Darkness. 40,000 first printing.

Genres: Mystery, Historical Fiction, Fiction, Historical Mystery, Crime, Historical, British Literature

341 pages, Hardcover

First published October 30, 2004

About the author

Rennie Airth was born in South Africa and has worked as a foreign correspondent for Reuters. The first novel in his John Madden trilogy, River of Darkness, was published in 1999 to huge critical acclaim, was shortlisted for four crime fiction awards and won the Grand Prix de Littérature Policière in France. The sensational sequel was The Blood-Dimmed Tide, and The Dead of Winter forms the final part of the trilogy.

Currently resides in Italy.

Reviews

[Pam · Rating 4 out of 5]

Excellent. I may read another. It’s a skillful crime story with good historical background. Airth is a modern writer who sets his story in the 1930’s. The primary character who is also the main character in the first book in this series is a man with police background who was injured in WWI, has PTSD and is now facing a likely future with another war.

The setting also allows discussion of the Great Depression (people without jobs, poverty and people wandering the countryside not necessarily trusted by other people). One confusing strategy is to have so many police characters. They are difficult to keep straight. There are retired officers, local South Downs policemen and major Scotland Yard men. Another agency that becomes involved is the Intelligence Service.

Airth is very good with details from the 30’s. If you like Golden Age mysteries this aspect may appeal to you. He does go overboard sometimes with sentimental aspects of relationships which makes the book overly long. There is a lot of talk about psychological problems that I think involves modern thinking, not ideas of nearly 100 years ago. Perhaps not valid profiling of the time but understandable today.

[Susan · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is the second in the original John Madden trilogy: River of Darkness, The Blood-Dimmed Tide and The Dead of Winter. With a fourth book, The Reckoning, out soon, it seemed a good opportunity to re-visit the original novels, which I enjoyed when they were first released.

The Blood Dimmed Tide is set in 1932 and John Madden has since married Dr Helen Blackwell, who he met in the first book. Having left the police force, Madden is now a country gentleman – enjoying farming and fatherhood and having put the nightmares of his earlier life behind him. However, while passing through the small hamlet of Brookham, near their home, Madden and his wife spot a crowd gathered and stop to see if they can help. A young girl, twelve year old Alice Bridger, has vanished on her way to a party and a search is organised to help find her. It is Madden who, along with his local constable, Will Stackpole, finds the body of the missing girl.

Although Madden is no longer involved in police work – and Helen is keen to ensure that he is not enticed back to Scotland Yard – there are many other characters who will be familiar to readers of the first book. Chief Inspector Angus Sinclair and, now Detective Sergeant, Billy Styles, both make a reappearance; as does psychoanalyst Dr Franz Weiss, who advised Madden in River of Darkness. As always, author Rennie Airth does a great job of painting a picture of the time when this book is set. England is very much in a grip of the depression and there are many men out of work and homeless. One of the possible witnesses to Alice’s murder was a tramp, who the police are keen to track down, and this allows for side stories about gypsies and tramps in the area at the time.

We are also aware, through Dr Weiss, of the rise of Nazism and problems in Europe. When it appears that the police are hunting a serial killer, the storyline involves Berlin police chief Arthur Nebe and a visit from a Berlin police Inspector. If you like historical mysteries, with excellent plotting and characters, this is a fantastic novel. It is best, in my opinion, to read the novels in order, although this does work as a stand-alone book. I am really enjoying re-reading these books and hope that a fourth novel means that the author may even write more books using these characters in the future.

Update on my review: Rennie Airth recently died, aged 90. I am saddened, but grateful he had a long life and thankful for his novels.

[Beata · Rating 5 out of 5]

A truly gripping book, very much in the style of Ann Granger and Charles Todd novels. Perfect feel of the inter-war England and the story that makes you read the book well into the night.

[Karl Jorgenson · Rating 5 out of 5]

In this second Airth thriller, John Madden, retired detective, finds a missing girl's body near his farm. As Inspector Sinclair and DS Billy dig into the case, they find the criminal has been expert at covering his tracks. Then they link the murder to crimes committed in Germany and Switzerland and the scope of the case explodes. I love Airth for his characters, for the vivid 1931 setting, and for the clever, surprising plot as a serial killer is gradually revealed. Why did Airth leave Madden retired? After the first novel, his retirement was a logical step to heal his trauma and make a new life with his fiance. How simple it would have been to have Madden rejoin the force. But perhaps unnecessary; as long as the next case can brush against Madden's personal life, he can insinuate himself in the investigation just as well an active detective.

[Susan Albert · Rating 5 out of 5]

It's a rare thing for me to find a second book in a series that I like as well as the first. This one I like even better. Believable characters who care about one another (unusual in a procedural), a richly detailed setting (Sussex, in the south of England), and a fascinating historical period (mid-1930s) darkened by the rising specter of Nazism and Fascism. As well: dialogue of the period and place (in itself a rare thing) and sentences that catch and hold. I'd give this more stars if I could. Highly recommended.

[E.C. Ambrose · Rating 4 out of 5]

I so enjoyed the author's first novel, The Dead of Winter, that I jotted his name on a paper and stuck it to my bulletin board to keep an eye on him. This second John Madden mystery/thriller took so long to appear that I had stopped looking--but I pounced the moment I saw it, and will look forward to finding the third as well.

I said "mystery/thriller" above, but it's really a thriller. In a writers' workshop years ago, I heard the distinction made that, in the thriller, you know who the villain is--you may even be in his point of view sometimes--and the key is stopping him. In a mystery, OTOH, you read to discover the villain, and he is usually introduced among the cast of characters at the very start.

This book starts as a mystery, but narrows down to a very intriguing and problematic suspect range. Suffice it to say, identifying the guy requires international cooperation between England and Germany, just prior to the Nazi takeover. Interesting political territory. It also introduces a young German policeman whom I'd like to read more about.

I admire the way that the author handles point of view to reveal his protagonist, who is naturally reticent, as well as building suspense: I really did not want to put this book down in the last quarter.

However, I'm a bit concerned about how the author is handling his historical setting. It has the potential to create useful tension between the reader and the work, because we know what is about to happen in Europe, and the characters don't--but instead of allowing that tension to develop naturally, the author sometimes pushes too hard to be portentous. Also, he has a psychologist character who seems to be an FBI profiler in disguise, and decades before his time. I wasn't sure that was necessary. I know this character appeared in the first book, but I don't recall being as bothered by his information as I was this time around.

On the whole, however, this is a great read, riveting and psychologically engaging.

[Glen · Rating 3 out of 5]

John Madden is retired from the police, and living on a farm in the country. He discovers the body of a young girl, and helps with the search for the murderer. The first suspect is a tramp, and we get some lore on the culture of tramps in the 30's. That was interesting.

Then we get the big manhunt. There's the usual links to intelligence and such.

Interesting, but cliched by the end.

[Bev · Rating 4 out of 5]

1932, Britain. Since the dreadful deaths in The River of Darkness, the first of the John Madden books, Madden has retired from the force to become a country farmer--both out of inclination and because his wife was upset at his injuries at the end of the last case. But just as an old hunting dog will stir at the bugle's call, the former police inspector can't resist lending a hand when a young girl goes missing from a village near his home. And when he is the one to discover the battered body he just can't stay away from the investigation. Fortunately, his old team don't mind the help--in fact, they'll take all the help they can get when their one trail goes cold and evidence is found that this isn't the culprit's first killing. And when they find a gap in similar killings in Britain, they wonder if killer took his talents to the continent for a few years. Soon they are working with the German police and the Secret Service to track a murderer who doesn't mind where he kills as long as he can get away with it...

Airth likes his mysteries steeped in psychology--whether it's a damaged soldier from WWI or a psychopathic killer of young girls. Good, solid analysis of the culprit's character--and analysis entirely appropriate to the story's time period. Airth also gives us good, solid police work...tracking down clues, interviewing witnesses, and the rest of the daily procedures that lead to solving a case. And all without boring the reader with detail or slowing the pace. I really enjoyed the introduction of the German police officer Probst and wish we could have seen more of him. Given that the books are heading into WWII territory, I'm doubtful that we'll see him again (unless--since he has expressed his feelings on the Nazis--he decides to leave Germany for England) and that is a shame.

It is a testament to Airth's abilities as a mystery author that I'm ranking this so high. I have great difficulty with stories about children in danger and a serial killer targeting young girls was definitely a hard topic for me. But the writing is terrific and I was very invested in the characters--not just Madden and his wife, but all of them...down to Sam Watkins and his dog Sally and the tramps who helped Madden discover some of the vital clues.

First posted on my blog My Reader's Block.

[Al · Rating 2 out of 5]

A big letdown after River of Darkness. John Madden has resigned from Scotland Yard, and is a farmer living with his wife and two children. A young girl is brutally murdered nearby, and Madden becomes involved in the hunt for the killer. Mr. Airth has the difficult task of building his book around the hero, Madden, when he's not even in law enforcement any more. Too much of the early going involves the fencing and power struggle among the three major Scotland Yard figures handling the case. That, together with constant references to past events, makes the book feel slow and labored. Also, there's much less of the psychological exploration which illuminated the first book. The climax is exciting, and Madden is an interesting character, but I'm not recommending this one.

[Pamela Mclaren · Rating 4 out of 5]

Darkness is descending on Europe but it is not clear to most in the days of 1932 England. What darkness is evident is the grisly rape and murder of a young girl. The death occurs in the rural part of the country in which former Scotland Yard Inspector John Madden and his family live. In deed, Madden is the one who discovers the victim, and his involvement grows despite the misgivings as his wife.

The murder is so horrific that Madden is concerned that it is not the first or the last, and of course, he is right. Now the polkice are looking for clues to what they are faced with and just who could be the murderer.

The result is a complex, tense and compelling story. Rennie Airth has created not only a main character that is outstanding, but secondary characters equally realistic and equal contributors to this excellent tale. It is the second in the Madden series and a successful continuation of the first book, River of Darkness, in which Airth introduced us to Madden who is carrying his own dark memories of World War I and dealing with further death, this time in a small Surrey village. Both stories are excellent. This is amazing, first-rate reading.

[Kris McCracken · Rating 3 out of 5]

With "The Blood Dimmed Tide", Rennie Airth delivers a historical mystery that, despite its intrigue, occasionally trips over its own ambitions. The second instalment of the John Madden series is billed as "A John Madden Mystery," but Madden's role here is more of a passive observer than a proactive sleuth, leaving readers with a curious sense of disconnect. Our once-gritty detective has abandoned his Scotland Yard badge in favour of country life, trading in clues and investigations for family and tranquillity.

When Madden does appear, he's less the complex anti-hero and more a paragon of virtue, the quintessential father, husband, and gentleman. This characterisation, while undeniably noble, robs him of depth. His spotless portrayal leaves little room for flaws, impulses, or moments of inner conflict, those humanising details that typically draw readers into a character's world. The result is a protagonist who feels more like an archetype than a person, leaving the story, despite its dark allure, feeling slightly emotionally hollow.

Similarly, Airth's antagonist emerges late in the game, more a grim spectre than a fleshed-out villain. Despite a half-hearted biographical sketch in the epilogue, the reader never glimpses the inner psyche or descent into depravity that might make him more unsettling. He becomes, rather disappointingly, a mere plot device to drive the story to its violent conclusion. It's a shame, as a more nuanced exploration of his motives could have lent the novel a deeper, more unnerving resonance.

Airth's prose is smooth and polished, weaving an evocative portrayal of 1930s England. Yet, a troubling gender dynamic emerges: Madden's wife, an ostensibly important figure in his life, becomes little more than a well-meaning but meddling distraction, relegated to the sidelines while Madden's male allies rally to his cause. This disparity reinforces certain stereotypes, giving the novel an unintentional but undeniable whiff of antiquated ideals.

For all its shortcomings, The Blood Dimmed Tide remains an enjoyable, if slightly unbalanced, journey into a world of mystery and morality. It's not a book that will redefine the genre, but for those seeking an atmospheric historical mystery, it delivers enough intrigue to satisfy. So, while it might not be Madden's finest hour, it's still worth a read.

⭐ ⭐ ⭐

[Jill H. · Rating 4 out of 5]

Former Scotland Yard Inspector John Madden makes his second appearance in this tale of horrific child murders. It is now ten years since his retirement and Madden is living the life of a gentleman farmer with his beloved wife and two children and trying to put the past behind him. For the reader to appreciate the demons that haunt him I would recommend that one read "River of Darkness" which is the first of the series which fills in the blanks about what makes him tick.

Madden discovers one of the bodies near his home and his former police colleagues call on him to assist them as they search for a crazed murderer who leaves no clues. The trail leads to the highest echelons of the King's government and the possibility that the murderer has struck on the Continent as well as in England. The specter of the rising Nazi threat in Germany presents an added complication to the case.

Airth weaves a good story and uses the history of the years immediately preceding WWII to advantage. Recommended.

[LJ · Rating 4 out of 5]

THE BLOOD-DIMMED TIDE (Police Procedural-England-1932) – VG
Rennie Airth – 2nd in series
McMillan, 2004- Hardcover
John Maddan has retired from Scotland Yard to be with his wife and children on their farm. But when a young girl disappears and John, with a former colleague still on the force, finds her body, his old instincts come to life. Once they start to investigate, an international trail of killings is uncovered.
*** It’s been four years since Airth's first book, but worth the wait. Although the story is more an assemble cast than focusing solely on Madden, you have an excellent sense of the characters in a well-plotted story. Set in a time of political tension, it’s interesting to see how the situation in Germany impacts the people and investigation. The suspense builds through the story to a dramatic climax. I only hope there is not another four years until the next book, as I really enjoy Mr. Airth's writing.

[Bill · Rating 3 out of 5]

I liked Rennie Airth's second book in his Inspector Madden series very much. He seems to have found a nice style and pacing. The mystery was interesting and kept me reading. The final resolution was also well-thought out. The characters, especially Inspector Sinclair and Sgt Styles and, of course, Madden are all easy to picture. My only criticism of the story was that there wasn't enough of Madden, that the story revolved more around Sinclair, which isn't a problem, just a point. As well, I don't think that Airth got into the psyche of the suspect enough, that at the end, you still haven't really seen him. My final point is that the jacket of the book says, 'And soon significant links are discovered in Germany, where the Nazis are on the brink of power'. I had expected this to be more developed, but this plot line remained more on the periphery. All in all, I still find this series interesting and worth reading.

[Edel Waugh Salisbury · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book was one of the best crime books I have ever read. A former inspector with scotland yard John Madden is enjoying retirement in Surrey when his help is needed on a horrific murder case where a female child who was brutally killed . This is unfortunatly not to be the last murder and it may not have been the first either.
This story had me gripped, I literally could not put it down!! Spys, murder and quiet life in the countryside are all mixed together in this story that will not let you go from start to finish. I cannot understand why this book has not been more recognised. I stumbled across this in the library and Ooooohhhh my I am so glad I did!!! This was book 2 in a series. I will def be going back and reading book 1 and then book 3.

[Judy · Rating 5 out of 5]

Rennie Airth does it again. It took me a bit longer to get into this second book about retired Scotland Yard inspector, John Madden, but the well-written plot soon becomes just as engrossing. Though Madden is retired, he becomes involved in a case when he discovers the body of a young girl. There are recognizable characters from Airth's first book, and it's like meeting old friends. Madden's part is limited, but his former associates use every chance they can to pick his brain. When they think they have solved the string of cases, a twist sends the Yard (and the reader) off on another search. Once again, Airth's description of the English countryside puts the reader there. I'm looking forward to the third book in this series, and hope Airth has written more books!

[Kathy · Rating 4 out of 5]

That did not take long to read. Turns out I had read this book years ago, so I had to skip, skip pages as I flew through what I still recalled. I had not, way back then, read the first John Madden book until just recently, so I was surprised the characters were not familiar...but I am rather old. This one, once read, can not be forgotten as the retired Madden is essential in finding the madman who does unspeakable things to young girls.

[Lynn Put · Rating 4 out of 5]

41/2 stars. This is the second book in the John Madden mystery series. The setting was in the countryside in southern England 1932 where a gruesome murder of a young girl from a local village is discovered. Even though John is retired, he finds himself involved in the case. This was a good read with the story building until the tension and fear made me feel like wasn’t sure I could read the next page because I was afraid of what was going to happen.

[Avid Series Reader · Rating 3 out of 5]

The Blood-Dimmed Tide by Rennie Airth is the second book of the John Madden mystery series set in 1930s England. It's been over a decade since the massacre at Melling Lodge, but John Madden, Billy Styles and Angus Sinclair haven't forgotten the horror of the case. John Madden has left Scotland Yard and happily settled into farm life with his wife Helen. Billy Styles fulfilled his potential to become a successful detective, after the excellent mentoring he received from John. Angus Sinclair is chief detective inspector at Scotland Yard, still missing the brilliance of his former detective Madden, staying in touch with them despite Helen's reluctance. I recommend reading the first book, The River of Darkness, to understand the characters and background for this book.

A young girl goes missing on a walk by the woods. A simple-minded tramp who passed through the woods is distressed and fearful; he hands over a girl's shoe to Helen then hides. John Madden assists in the hunt through the woods, and finds the missing girl's body, raped and brutally beaten. The savagery of the beating deeply upsets John. He suspects there is a serial killer on the loose.

Helen strenuously objects to John getting drawn into Scotland Yard cases. She wants to protect John's peace of mind, shattered by past events up to and including his WWI service, gradually restored by their peaceful decade of country life, rearing their children. Haunted by the murder, John teams up with Billy Styles again, and together they find clues that link previous similar crimes. It's tough going, not dangerous at first, but instead very difficult to trace the evidence that stretches back years.

John is puzzled by a 3-year gap in reported crimes that seem to be related. At first he assumes the killer was imprisoned during that time, but they don't find any evidence to support that theory. Then John wonders, what if the killer was abroad those years?

The connection to international crime files (precursor to Interpol) yields the breakthrough. John identifies a serial killer, who John learns (with great difficulty) is a rogue intelligence agent. Suspense mounts in alternating chapters as law enforcement painstakingly tries to find a ruthless killer, while the killer selects and stalks the next victim.

Dogged, focused police procedural work is blended with elements of an international crime thriller to create a complex, interesting plot set against a backdrop of growing political threat in Europe.

[Ed · Rating 5 out of 5]

Six-word Review: Incredibly gripping, dramatic Britsh police procedural.

This is one of the best British "mysteries" I've ever read. The reason I enclose the word mysteries in quotes is that it's only a mystery for the first 2/3 of the book. The last third is the story of the chase and capture of the murderer.

I know it's considered a John Madden mystery and he is a big part of the climax, but most of the book is taken up with Madden's ex-partner, Angus Sinclaire of Scotland Yard, and his pursuit of the killer. There are a multitude of characters all of whom grabbed my interest. I wasn't around in 1932 England but the scene sure came across as authentic to me. I suspect Airth did his research.

I was especially fascinated with the descriptions of how WW I and the trenches affected many of the characters. I've read many of the Charles Todd stories, and they have the same fascination.

I really don't know what else to say except I can recommend this book without reservation whether you are a fan of British mysteries or not.

[Becky Loader · Rating 4 out of 5]

John Madden is a former-detective who is trying to live a quiet life with his wife and two children. He seems to be drawn into mysterious circumstances, and pretty soon, he is back at work.

The central puzzle is very clever, and the supporting characters (I love Dr. Madden--John's assertive wife--, and Angus Sinclair, who wants Madden back at work being a detective) provide lots of interest.

I also liked the old-fashioned paper trail that eventually identified the murderer, who worked for the British Secret Service. He is a totally despicable sexual predator, and Madden is not going to give up till he is caught.

[Colin Mitchell · Rating 4 out of 5]

The second in the John Madden series finds the detective happily married with two children and retired to a farm in Surrey. He and his Doctor wife Helen, stop at a nearby village when they see the local policeman. The body of a young girl is found and a local tramp is suspected. This is just the beginning of a gruesome trail that extends across Europe. With undertones of espionage and civil servants that are less than forthright. There is also the undercurrent of the emerging Nazis party in Germany.

The story has enough twist to keep avid crime fans satisfied and moves along at a cracking pace. The changing times in rural England in the early 1930's is well illustrated with the depression era decline in farming and men, veterans of the first war, struggling to make ends meet.

A good, well written book. Recommended. 4 stars

[Sandy · Rating 4 out of 5]

I am not sure how to rate this book. Four stars for excellent characters, atmosphere, and compelling plot but not a subject I enjoy reading.

[Jim Stennett · Rating 5 out of 5]

John Madden is back facing a deranged child killer hidden in foreign intrigues. Fast paced, intelligent, entertaining and nostalgic. Some of my favorite ingredients!

[Kate · Rating 2 out of 5]

I don't usually read books about crimes against children. I read this one because I have read some later books in the series that I enjoyed. I didn't read every chapter. I skipped to the third chapter from the end, skipped some of that bit, and finished.
The setting is England during the time leading up to World War II. It was grim and forboding.

[Naomi Lee · Rating 4 out of 5]

So well-written. The author takes the time to build the characters so that they stay with you!

[Lulu Anechiarico · Rating 4 out of 5]

I have grown fond of the Madden series.

[Merry · Rating 3 out of 5]

A slow read taking place in England before WWII searching for a murderer who seeks out young girls and then disfigures them after death. Takes place in several countries and involves a retired policeman, Scotland Yard and European police. Predicts future Nazi problems

[Anne Fontaine · Rating 4 out of 5]

In this second of Rennie Airth's books, almost ten years have passed and England is on the brink of World War II. The intriguing John Madden retired from Scotland Yard soon after the events of the first book to become not only a farmer but a father, having had two children with his wife, Dr. Helen Blackwell Madden. They live in the same house where she grew up (and where she was living in the first book) and, while the villagers are aware of Madden's previous profession, he has integrated completely and happily into his rural lifestyle. Until, that is, he and Helen stumble upon a gathering of people outside the home of one of the villagers and note the emergence of Will Stackpole, the village constable, from inside. Very familiar with Madden's investigative talents (see the first book again), Will quickly takes the couple aside and explains that a young girl is missing.

Madden being Madden, of course, he cannot refuse Will's request for help, though always in his mind is the distress his involvement might cause for Helen after so nearly losing him during his last investigation (guess). With characteristic insight, Madden finds the girl's body, its mutilation setting off alarms in his head even as he leaves the scene in the hands of the Surrey police. At this point, Madden's presence recedes. There are questions and parallels rooted in his brain from the crime scene (such insight cannot be stoppered) but it is his mentor and colleague, Angus Sinclair, who finds records of other missing, mutilated girls, and struggles to uncover the identity of this particularly vicious serial killer. His search illuminates the inner workings of Scotland Yard and the convolution of pre-war intelligence work originating from the Foreign Office. A visiting detective from Germany provides political perspective about the impending power shift to the Nazi party and a personal perspective is presented through the efforts of Dr. Weiss, the Austrian psychologist who has been helpful in both books, to remove his family to safety. Sinclair also finds it helpful to discuss the case's development in periodic meetings with Madden whose own inquiries have yielded valuable information. Their several lines of investigation dovetail nicely and it is Madden himself, at the end, who puts it all together.

Given almost equal time in this book is the society of transients that has been prevalent throughout the English countryside since the end of the first World War. They are a mixed group of emotionally wounded and disenchanted ex-servicemen who rely on seasonal work and the kitchen-kindness of various farms, Madden's own Highfield among them. Rennie Airth has tidily drawn a community on the edge of another war, though they themselves have barely noticed its encroachment. The world represented by these small English villages has already changed and many are finding it difficult to cope. In Yeats' words, "...the ceremony of innocence has drowned" and we are grateful, once again, for the sense of duty and raw intelligence embodied in John Madden to remind us that all is not lost.

[Beth · Rating 5 out of 5]

What an excellent series! I have only two modest complaints. There are apparently four books total so far, (this was the second) but each sequel takes place roughly ten years after the last. At that rate, the total number of entries is going to be limited by the advancing age of John Madden, a most remarkable hero who, by my reckoning, will be in his late 50's at least by the fourth book. Madden retired from Scotland Yard after the first book to marry, raise a family, and farm. I guess there haven't been many mysteries and murders to solve in this peaceful world, but lucky for us, a new one seems to draw him back in with his former police partners every decade or so. My other disappointment in this book is a gentle one. Madden plays a central role here and is instrumental in bringing about the very satisfying conclusion, but his role is limited because so much of the action occurs with the supporting characters, who are, unlike him, still policemen. Some of these characters are new and some happily familiar: Billy Styles, Chief Inspector Sinclair, and Will Stackpole, for instance. These are wonderful people, so although Madden wasn't in as many pages as I would have liked, this story (the main plot of which is the hunt for a brutal serial killer of several young girls) is compelling and fast moving. The search for this monster unfolds with the ominous rise of young Hitler and the Nazi movement as a background...as if the plot weren't suspenseful enough. With one murder mystery to solve every 10 years, I can only hope John Madden lives to be very, very old.
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