DEATH'S DOOR

James Bryce is an old hand at these densely populated, masterfully crafted police procedurals by Jardine. In this 17th book to take place in Edinburgh, Scotland, the usual protagonist, DCC Bob Skinner, doesn’t make an appearance until late in the book. This is not only a story of multiple murder victims found around Edinburgh, it’s also a chance to catch up on the personal lives of the many interwoven characters—their love affairs, promotions, and new families. The story builds slowly, which works well if you're just finding you're way to this series. Once Skinner arrives, the tension ratchets up. Bycre approaches this material like he's greeting old friends. He performs with calm deliberation that is a perfect match for this carefully plotted mystery. D.G. © AudioFile 2008, Portland, Maine [Published: JUN/ JUL 08]