Persons Unknown by Susie Steiner
When I first started Missing, Presumed, I was not thinking that I would read Persons Unknown, so I did not go ahead and buy it. This ended up being a mistake; although, I do believe that had I go ahead and purchased it right away, then I would have hated Missing, Presumed and then the book would just be taking up shelf space that I could use for other books. Just like the first book, I fell in love with Persons Unknown and was glad to see what the characters were up to three years later and meet new characters.
Manon Bradshaw is back in Cambridgeshire after spending a few years in London with her adopted son, Fly, her sister, Ellie, and her nephew, Solomon (Solly). But she is worried about Fly being profiled, and decides to return with him to Cambridgeshire. She is able to get her job back at the police department; however, she is no longer a DS, instead, working in cold cases. That does not stop her from listening in when Davy announces a new case that just happens to involve a person Manon knows, John Oliver Ross. John Oliver is Ellie's ex and Solly's father, and he has been found stabbed in the park. But the Bradshaw family's bad luck does not end there. Fly has been accused of murdering him. Manon is useless to do anything as she is not allowed on the case. Between this, being six months pregnant, and Fly blaming her for all of this, Manon feels her life will never be normal again. She needs to find out who really killed John Oliver before Fly is damaged beyond repair.
So the biggest change in Manon's life, and a big catalyst for Fly's plot line, is that she is pregnant. She has decided to do this on her own, as in the beginning, she is not in a relationship. She is doing IVF, although she seems hesitant to tell people that. She did not tell Fly until she was showing; when Fly's lawyer, Mark, asks about the father, she changes the subject saying that it is not important. Her decision to have a child that is her own flesh and blood makes Fly pull away from her. He is also upset at the move to Cambridgeshire, away from what he considers home.When Manon is not able to prevent his arrest, Fly completely pulls away from her; going so far to remove her from his visitors list. It is obvious to the reader that Fly has fallen into a deep depression. When Manon sees cuts on his arm, she assumes he is being beat up because she cannot fathom him doing it to himself. I am so upset with Manon for all of this. Some of her decisions are for the best; but ignoring how all of these changes would effect Fly is on her.
That being said, it is so obvious that Fly is being set up for John Oliver's murder. Manon knows this, but she cannot do anything. I really thought that Gary Stanton was more involved in the cover up than he actually was. He seemed extremely shady.
 |
| (Source: Kelsey Darling) |
So the biggest change in Manon's life, and a big catalyst for Fly's plot line, is that she is pregnant. She has decided to do this on her own, as in the beginning, she is not in a relationship. She is doing IVF, although she seems hesitant to tell people that. She did not tell Fly until she was showing; when Fly's lawyer, Mark, asks about the father, she changes the subject saying that it is not important. Her decision to have a child that is her own flesh and blood makes Fly pull away from her. He is also upset at the move to Cambridgeshire, away from what he considers home.When Manon is not able to prevent his arrest, Fly completely pulls away from her; going so far to remove her from his visitors list. It is obvious to the reader that Fly has fallen into a deep depression. When Manon sees cuts on his arm, she assumes he is being beat up because she cannot fathom him doing it to himself. I am so upset with Manon for all of this. Some of her decisions are for the best; but ignoring how all of these changes would effect Fly is on her.
 |
| (Source: Giphy) |
"'Can I have a word, Davy?'
Davy jumps at the sound of Stanton's baritone.
He follows the boss into his office. Harriet's already perched at the side of the room.
Stanton closes the door after him. Is this a secret meeting of some sort? The door is normally left ajar.
Stanton goes to the window, looking out to the car park. 'Think we need to focus. We've potentially got an armed assailant out there.' He turns. 'Look, there were texts between Ross and the Dent boy's mobile.'
'How did Ross even have the boy's number?' Harriet asks.
'We'll need to find that out,' Stanton says. He pulls out his chair and sits at his desk. With the movement, Davy catches a whiff of chlorine mingled with shower gel. Stanton's started exercising. Rumor has it he's been spending a fortune on hair-loss treatments from some Harley Street trichologist.
Harriet says, 'I just don't think Fly-it doesn't seem possible. I know him. He's a good lad.
'If you ask me,' Stanton says, 'the Dent boy's good for it.'
Why does he keep referring to Fly as 'the Dent boy'? He hadn't been 'the Dent boy' a year ago, offering Stanton peanuts at the Christmas drinks.
Davy says, 'To be fair, there are a lot of avenues which need exploring. Ross's nine-million-pound shell company might also go to motive. Or the blonde-the photo on the body-who might be another ex. And Ellie Bradshaw: there's a seven-hour hole in her alibi which hasn't been investigated and she's a key witness. There's an array of potential motives.'
'Hardly think Ellie Bradshaw is a danger to the public,' Stanton says. 'I just don't buy it, do you? A nurse stabbing her ex?' (pp. 99-100)
Why does he keep referring to Fly as 'the Dent boy'? He hadn't been 'the Dent boy' a year ago, offering Stanton peanuts at the Christmas drinks.
Davy says, 'To be fair, there are a lot of avenues which need exploring. Ross's nine-million-pound shell company might also go to motive. Or the blonde-the photo on the body-who might be another ex. And Ellie Bradshaw: there's a seven-hour hole in her alibi which hasn't been investigated and she's a key witness. There's an array of potential motives.'
'Hardly think Ellie Bradshaw is a danger to the public,' Stanton says. 'I just don't buy it, do you? A nurse stabbing her ex?' (pp. 99-100)
 |
| (Source: Giphy) |
The fact that in Missing, Presumed Stanton is all over exploring every possible lead and here he is looking for the first person to pin it on screams "I'm doing something I shouldn't be." I always thought that police took care of their own, and Stanton's behavior throughout the book is everything but. And as you read about the escort service that Ross's firm was involved with, and Saskia, one of the escorts who is upset at the cover up of the death of one of the other escorts, it seems very likely that Stanton could be involved with all of this. Instead, what he is involved with is even more ridiculous of a cover up.
Missing, Presumed was my favorite book out of the two, but I definitely enjoyed this one. It seemed slightly less likely than M,P, but not completely out of left field. Ellie's involvement that you learn about at the end was the part that seemed the most out of the ordinary for me. But if Steiner released another DS Manon book, I would definitely read it.
Rating: 7/10
 |
| (Source: Giphy) |
Author: Susie Steiner
Series: DS Manon (Book 2 of 2)
Genres: Mystery, Fiction, Crime
Dates Read: October 5-10, 2018
Comments
Post a Comment