Another new author for me and one I'm glad I came across. The use of illegal immigrants (refugees - call them what you like) in a murder story is highly topical and the author creates an environment where crime, trafficking and general fear of discovery is all too prevalent.
Lately, we've seen in the news the all-too-familiar disregard for the human being as a person, be it starvation, genocide, disenfranchisement or displacement and, of course, high-profile terrorism.
The author portrays the disregard for human life within the immigrant community (illegal or otherwise) with a grasp that suggests her own research was near to home but whatever the reason, The Dispossessed is a very good thriller.
Her characterisation of not just the immigrants but also the police involved in the search for a killer brings to life the community around which this story evolves. It is all the more shocking when a close member of one of the main characters is also killed off and it is at this point that the book really moves into top gear, rattling along until we reach a very satisfying ending - at least for those of us who believe some 'get away with murder'!
I don't know if the author's main characters will return. If they do, I'll buy the book; northern grit is always a good seller for me!
Don't miss this chance to read a really first class thriller