Rachel the Book Harlot

3.75 stars

"A crime of passion, or cold-hearted murder?

A serial rapist is leaving a string of tortured women behind him, but while DS Logan McRae’s girlfriend, PC Jackie ‘Ball Breaker’ Watson, is out acting as bait, he’s trying to identify a blood-drenched body dumped outside Accident and Emergency.

Logan’s investigations suggest someone in the local bondage community has developed a taste for violent death, and he soon finds himself dragged into the twilight world of pornographers, sex-shops and S&M.

Meanwhile, the prime suspect in the rape case turns out to be Aberdeen Football Club’s star striker, and he has an alibi for every attack. Logan thinks they’ve got it horribly wrong, but can he get anyone to listen before the real rapist strikes again? Especially as Jackie is convinced the footballer’s guilty and she’s hell-bent on a conviction at any cost…"

❖ ❖ ❖

Broken Skin contains everything I’ve come to expect from the Logan McRae series: entertaining and likeable characters, dark humor, and entertaining crime solving. This installment didn’t feel as seemingly lighthearted, if you can call it that, in the dark humor department as the previous books, but it still had its moments.

“Laz!’ she said, grinning as soon as she clapped eyes on Logan, ‘This no’ a bit fresh for one of your corpses? Thought you liked them a bit more ripe?’

 

Logan didn’t rise to it. ‘He was found outside A&E last night, bleeding to death. No witnesses. Something horrible’s happened to his backside.'

 

‘Oh aye?’ The inspector raised an eyebrow. ‘Medical horrible, or “I was hoovering naked and fell on a statue of Queen Victoria” horrible?’

Fans of Detective Inspector Steel will be happy to know that she's back in all her glory. Detective Inspector Insch also gets quite a bit of page time. Both are extremely fun in their own way, but DI Steel always steals the show. Her interaction with Logan, and Logan’s reaction to her when they work a case together, is priceless.

As usual, Logan is working more than one case. This time, however, it felt like there was a little too much going on. Things felt a bit scattered and not as cohesive as in previous books. Also, some of the outcomes felt a little too coincidental and far-fetched.

I had a hard time with some of Logan’s actions and decisions. As has been the case with both Book 1 & 2, Logan can sometimes be self-absorbed and not as empathetic as he should be. Here it was a little more than usual. Also, as has been my complaint in the past, I cannot understand how he could miss such obvious clues.  I just want to shake him at times, and say:

But, I guess this is something I will have just have to get used to when it comes to Logan. 

Despite those minor issues, I still enjoyed Broken Skin very much. It’s not my favorite of the series so far, Book 2 Dying Light holds that honor, but it was still a good read and a great addition.

Recommended for fans of the series.

Final Rating: 3.75 stars