FICTION

Those We Left Behind

Soho Crime. Sept. 2015. 320p. ISBN 9781616956363. $27.95; ebk. ISBN 9781616956370. MYS
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OrangeReviewStarDCI Serena Flanagan is back at work on the Belfast police force after battling breast cancer. Earlier in her career, Flanagan worked the case of the schoolboy Devine brothers, who were arrested for viciously beating their foster father to death. The younger, Ciaran, confessed, but Flanagan was convinced it was actually the older brother, Thomas, who was guilty. Eight years later, the brothers are released and together again, making Ciaran's parole officer Paula Cunningham uneasy. Both women recognize the danger present and attempt to prevent what seem to be the inevitable consequences of the brothers' reunion.
VERDICT Through a sympathetic portrayal of his characters' motivations and feelings, award-winning Northern Irish crime writer Neville (The Ghosts of Belfast; Ratlines) has the gift of making us care about the fate of each of his creations, whether they are convicted killers, cops, or innocent bystanders. Another winner, this is fast-paced and intriguing to the very end. [Previewed in Kristi Chadwick's mystery spotlight feature "Not Your Usual Suspects,"LJ 4/15/15.]
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