The Riverman by Alex Gray

Val Penny ♦ January 26, 2017 ♦ Leave a comment

When you meet Alex Gray, you meet a charming, elegant woman and it is hard to imagine the vicious crimes that emanate from her pen. Of course, she would argue that she is merely relating the actions of her characters. This she does very well.

Although I only read Riverman recently, as it was book of the month at my book group, it is one of Alex’s earlier novels.Even so, the story had so many twists and turns that I was struggling to keep up with all the possible suspects, their motives, and the reasons for killing each victim.  It is the fourth crime novel featuring her DCI William Lorimer character.

Glasgow’s River Clyde gives up a dead body, a probable accidental death, but that probability is tossed out the window when forensics and an anonymous call point to something far more sinister. As he probes deeper into the life and business of the deceased accountant, Duncan Forbes, a seemingly upright member of the community, Lorimer find only yet more unanswered questions. Then the firm’s human resources manager is found dead in her riverside flat these questions become only more complex and more disturbing.

Lorimer must follow the trail of deceit, greed and personal agendas as the bodies begin to pile up while the answers remain allusive. Someone knows what is going on and they are not talking. This is a taut, thrilling, murder mystery. It is hard to believe, as The Riverman is so good, but Alex’s writing just gets better.

Valerie Penny