The Danger Within

October 1, 2021
Methodical police work unravels the mysteries linked to two battered wives a generation apart. Veteran North Devon DCI David Vogel is the first to arrive at a bizarre murder scene. Thomas Quinn lies dead in a pool of blood on his kitchen floor. Across the room, his wife, Gillian, who's called the police, lies huddled on the floor, apparently in a state of shock. While the evidence points to her as her husband's killer, she may also be his longtime victim. Bonner counterpoints Vogel's investigation of the Quinn murder with the story of Lilian St. John, who, back in 1997, suffers regular abuse at the hands of her husband, Kurt. In addition to physically assaulting Lilian, Kurt has also cancelled her credit cards and sent two "goons" to watch her. While Vogel gathers tons of evidence, including testimonials of innocence from Gillian's devoted son, Greg, and her close friend Sadie Pearson, nothing brings him closer to clearing her of involvement in the murder. Confirming the injuries she suffered at the hands of her late husband only strengthens the case against her. Lilian goes on the run only to be pursued by Kurt, and when she takes decisive action, it backfires on her. Bonner's procedural, Vogel's fourth appearance, focuses as much on the investigative team and Vogel's dogged, meticulous pursuit of the truth as on the suspense surrounding the identities of the miscreants. The closing chapters offer the solution to the mystery surrounding Thomas Quinn's murder and explain the link between Gillian and Lilian. A crisp crime yarn: no muss, no fuss, no stone unturned.

COPYRIGHT(2021) Kirkus Reviews, ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.

October 1, 2021
Besides being an edge-of-the-seat crime thriller, Bonner's latest also focuses to [on] the tragedy of domestic violence. DCI David Vogel is called to the scene of a brutal murder, where local businessman Thomas Quinn has been stabbed in a frenzied attack. His wife, Gill, is crouching near his body, catatonic with shock. Vogel and his team find all clues pointing to Gill being the murderer, but what also emerges is that, for years, Thomas has physically and mentally abused her. In a series of mysterious flashbacks, readers are transported back over a decade, when Lilian St John suffered horrific abuse from her husband and eventually struck back. Is there a connection between Lilian and Gill? Astute readers may think they've guessed the truth, but with a new twist around every corner, it's unlikely they will have been able to suss out the whole story. The pacy, twist-filled narrative boasts excellent writing, vividly drawn characters, an eye-opening depiction of domestic violence, and a tragic yet satisfying ending. This one will stay with readers for a long time.

COPYRIGHT(2021) Booklist, ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.

October 18, 2021
The stabbing death of Thomas Quinn, a well-to-do businessman with a reputation as “a pillar of the local community,” propels Bonner’s solid fourth police procedural featuring Det. Chief Insp. David Vogel (after 2019’s Dreams of Fear). When Vogel, a member of the Devon and Cornwall Police’s Major Crimes Team, arrives at the Quinn home, he sees the corpse face down on the kitchen floor and Quinn’s widow, Gillian, a teacher who reported the crime, sitting nearby. Gillian’s unresponsive state leads to her being transported to the hospital to be treated for shock. After a neighbor says she overheard what sounded like a marital dispute shortly before the murder, Gillian becomes the prime suspect, a line of inquiry threatened by an apparent alibi provided by Helen Harris, who runs a sanctuary for abused women. Flashbacks to 1997 detail the horrific experiences of Londoner Lilian St. John, whose abusive ex-boyfriend has cut off her access to money but remains beyond the law’s reach. Plausible characterizations more than compensate for a twist that’s telegraphed too blatantly. This insightful exploration of the physical and emotional toll of domestic violence will resonate with many. Agent: Toby Peake, Peake Assoc. (U.K.)