Hilary Bonner launches a new British police procedural series with a gripping story with an unusual twist at the end. However, Deadly Dance‘s protagonist is a little too cold as a lead character. He is a character with a few problems, and we’ll see if he becomes a little more likable as the series continues.

All murders are troubling, but the victim of a killing in Bristol is a little too close to home for Detective Inspector David Vogel. Fourteen-year-old Melanie Cooke is the same age as Vogel’s own daughter. Melanie is found behind trash bins in the red light district, just hours after her mother reported her missing. But, Melanie’s secrets led her to that spot, and the police have to discover what she was hiding. Naturally, they look at her father and stepfather. Their alibis are a little shaky, and when there’s a DNA match, it seems they’ve found a killer. But, Vogel is a little uncomfortable with the results. A call from his former boss in London leads him to suspect there is a serial killer out there.

Three suspects tell their story in this suspenseful novel. The methods used, and the victims, indicate a wide pattern of crime. But, it will take a story from the one who got away to set the police on the right track. None of the police saw the direction this case will take.

DI Vogel is a little too uptight for my taste. He really only becomes human when he’s home with his wife, his sounding board and support system. And, he’s struggling with his own family issue, one he hasn’t revealed to his wife. That’s a story that will turn his life upside down. Despite his problems, he’s a thoughtful, capable team leader who is blindsided.

Despite Vogel’s stuffiness, I’m looking forward to the next in the series. Deadly Dance is a well-developed procedural with a villain who leads the police down a twisted path.

Hilary Bonner’s website is www.hilarybonner.com

Deadly Dance by Hilary Bonner. Severn House. 2017. ISBN 9780727887344 (hardcover), 256p.

*****
FTC Full Disclosure – I received the book to review for a journal.