Cut Short [Paperback]

Detective Inspector Geraldine Steel leaves her old life behind when she relocates to a rural area, including a failed romance. Expecting her job to be less stressful as a part of the mobile Murder Investigation Team in Woolmarsh, Steel has barely gotten settled when a shocking murder sends the team into action. Under the stewardship of DCI Kathryn Gordon, Steel is conscious of her role as a senior detective, the majority of the team being male. But Geraldine is a go-getter, which certainly has contributed to the demise of her relationship; in essence, Geraldine is married to the job. Mostly, that's a safe place for this driven protagonist, her single-minded attention to detail the reason for her success. The loneliness that Steel suffers along the way is the price she is willing to pay.

The strangulation murder of a helpless young girl in Woolmarsh Park creates havoc in the neighborhood, the police- or "filth" as some choose to call the authorities- are determined to turn over every rock to find this killer. While Russell's driven Detective Inspector reflects a serious work ethic and the tedium of real investigation, it is the killer who brings another level of horror to this tale. Living in his own universe, with a twisted and disturbed perspective of the world, the killer is compulsive, increasingly violent and comfortable with being overlooked by passersby, a quality that allows him to pass, unnoticed, sneaking up behind helpless victims, overpowering them as he snuffs out their lives. A faceless murderer nobody remembers- the murder squad is frustrated at every turn, unable to find any links to identify a suspect as one murder after another terrifies the public.

The supporting characters are quirky, part of the fabric of this quietly stunning thriller, a young Detective Sergeant who sees more than Steel is prepared to deal with, a sleazy boyfriend who beats his girlfriend but stops short of murder and a helpful school teacher whose brush with the killer puts her in grave danger. As the body count rises, Geraldine reverts to her instinct for detail, the odd fact that will lead her directly to the demented killer, perhaps even make her his next victim. A grim and satisfying read, starring a great protagonist. Luan Gaines/2010.

The hunt for a serial killer is on in the small town of Woolsmarsh. The Incident Room is full of detectives eager for a quick arrest. But Geraldine Steel, recently promoted to Detective Inspector, has been warned by her superior to play it by the book. She has a reputation for being something of a maverick. Not a team player.

Geraldine combines a strong intuitive streak with a workaholic temperament. She's often still on the case while the rest of the team is sleeping. She'll show up at work in the middle of the night to take one more look at the transcripts of phone messages and interviews, searching for a missed clue.

Both the leader of the investigation and the main character are female, which allows the author to explore the challenges women face dealing with brutal crimes and a brutal job.

The plot moves right along, with an interesting twist at the end.

I found Cut Short an absorbing read. I wouldn't consider it in a league with Ruth Rendell's psychological thrillers (as the jacket copy suggests). But if you'd enjoy a fast-paced police procedural featuring a woman police officer in a contemporary British setting, Cut Short might be just the thing.

Bought this after seeing crime writer Sam Millar's review of it on New York Journal of Books, a while back. Just got round to reading it. Very fast thriller, and a great, original character. The writing is very strong, and Geraldine Steel is an an arresting female lead (sorry about the pun). Highly recommended. Great for a plane journey.