THE SCARECROW by P.F. Ford

3.5* Suspend disbelief a bit and this isn't too bad a read. Reminiscent of Norman Norman tales.

This book jumps a fair bit from the 4th novella in this series. Nolan has been under investigation by 'internal affairs'/UK equivalent, has been cleared but has been demoted as a scapegoat. According to him. And, the female boss, Chalmers, I think, who took over from DCI James, apparently turned into a psychopath, although nothing is given in evidence or remotely touched on. I think the tale takes place some 20 years after the novella ends, and Cormac is on his early 40s. 

So the crime/s and baddie/s in this book, especially with the supposed senior UK political connection need to be taken with a pinch of salt. A rather big one. It's happening in rural UK and a police force composed Cormac, his boss DI Carver and DS Aconna/'O'Connor' - whose name is used as a reason for a slightly didactic lesson in diversity and inclusion - are the ones tasked in taking these miscreants down and putting a stop to this crime infiltrating the UK - trying not to Spoiler here. They need far more help. The tale hinted at a politician with a seedy past being protected by the Assistant Chief Constable and the PM. And an ex-wife with an NDA and a big financial settlement and silencing. And the equivalent of a Power of Attorney allegedly given to a 14yo by said politician. Methinks research wasn't properly done where the latter is concerned, artistic and author's license or not. 

It's a bit murky trying to tie Cormac's past and present together. It's also quite flimsy and it screams the obvious distasteful crime although none of these police minds put two and two together. Sigh. I think because this has been self-pubbed, maybe friends and family have beta'd and fed back non-critically. I get that. But it doesn't do readers or the author any favours. It is proofed and there aren't any typos, but you do have to suspend disbelief to finish it. 

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