Risk of Harm

I am a sucker for the police procedural genre but i shall not be purchasing another of Ms Whitehouse's novels . There is a highly complex plot which turns out to involve several murders and missing persons cases ...mostly occurring in one week in Birmingham and all solved successfully within a fortnight , completely improbably . But the writing is drenched in woke agitprop...as if it had been scripted by the editorial board of the Guardian .Of course we get the cuts and underfunding of the police and the NHS all of whom are sooooo overworked . We get Black Lives Matter [good] and immigration [good and understandable even when significant laws are broken] arranged marriages and false visa applications [not so bad and entirely forgivable] ,immigrants doing jobs the British wont do [sneer] for starvation wages [sneer] and Brexit [goodness knows how she shoehorned in that issue ,but she did on several occasions] [bad] , Donald Trump [ditto -very bad] Nigel Farage...[unbelievably mentioned just to get in a sneer ],obviously misogyny,[widespread and bad] British societal racist attitudes [widespread and bad], every single non white person [and there are many] are complete saints .So I found it hard to take seriously the picture of British society presented as the context for the crimes and the solving of them . Will be perfect for those who hold the views on British society of the author as they will not even notice the slant .

‘Risk of Harm’ is the second in Lucie Whitehouse’s series of police procedurals set in Birmingham, West Midlands.In 2019 I was very impressed with ‘Critical Incidents’, the author’s first novel to feature DI Robin Lyons. In ‘Risk of Harm’ Robin is now a DCI in Birmingham’s Force Homicide. Some background of previous events is provided, though this works fine as a standalone.I won’t say too much about the plot in order to avoid spoilers. It opens with a woman found stabbed to death in a derelict factory. When no one comes forward to identify the body, Robin and her team have to not only hunt for her murderer, but also discover their victim’s identity. Then another woman is found dead is similar circumstances, sparking rumours of a serial killer.Robin and her boss Samir are under increasing pressure from their superiors, the media, and from an inflammatory group of far-right nationalists. Add to this tensions in Robin’s family are running high as well as unresolved feelings between Robin and Samir, who had been a couple in their teens.This is quite a complex crime thriller in terms of multiple plot lines involving the various cases as well as the interpersonal dynamics. ‘Critical Incidents’ also had a lot going on in terms of plot and characters.Lucie Whitehouse also integrated a number of social issues into the narrative including racism, xenophobia, and the rise of white supremacism and the far-right in the U.K.. Not easy reading though important to acknowledge.I was glad to have read this in conjunction with the online reading group, The Pigeonhole, as it allowed for a closer reading and an opportunity to share thoughts with others.Overall, I found this a solid and satisfying police procedural and I am now fully committed to this series. So I will eagerly await news of further cases for DCI Robin Lyons and her team.

Risk of Harm is a highly engaging crime thriller by Lucie Whitehouse. It’s the second book in her DCI Robin Lyons series although it can easily be read as a standalone. Robin has relocated to her hometown of Birmingham after spending some time at the Met in London and she is facing another complex investigation. The body of a young woman has been found but no one has come forward to confirm her identity or to report her missing. And on top of that Robin has to face a lot of personal issues with her family in this book. She certainly isn’t given an easy ride.The investigation which Robin is leading is a really intriguing one. She can’t understand why no one has reported the woman who has been found dead missing. Why can’t they identify her? It makes for a really intriguing set up and I wanted to find out what had happened to the woman and why she had been killed.Robin is also going through a lot of personal issues in this book as well with her family. I thought this was a really intriguing side to Robin’s character. I wanted to see how this would develop and I’m curious to know where Lucie Whitehouse will take this part of the story next. Robin’s feelings towards her family came through very strongly in this book. It made her character feel very real and it made her even more interesting.Lucie Whitehouse does also tackle some sensitive topics in her latest book as she explores far right wing movements and issues that tackle racism. This part of the book hits very close to home for Robin; I thought Lucie Whitehouse explored this well.The plot develops really well and I thought it was so cleverly put together. I thought the revelations that came were very satisfactory. I highly recommend Risk of Harm if you enjoy reading gripping police procedurals. I’m looking forward to reading the next chapter in Robin’s story.

Robin has to file away her own feelings of anxiety when the body of a young woman is discovered. It brings back unpleasant memories of what she nearly lost herself. When a second body is found soon after she realises they might be dealing with something more than a one-of.Simultaneously Robin has to deal with the fractious relationships she has within her own family, especially as those problems seep into her day job and threaten to undermine her position.It’s a multi-faceted crime read. It has layers of a domestic thriller with a brutally honest Kodak snapshot of crime in certain areas of the UK. Then to add the cherry on top the political tension, due to the rising far right and racist sentiments, gives the read a sharp current angle.Whitehouse delivers characters who seem comfortable and familiar to the readers – a bit like old friends inviting us in for their dysfunctional family moments, the moral quandaries and murder most wicked. It’s a riveting read.

Firstly, I am a great fan of Lucie Whitehouse and have read all of her books. This book is the second in the series about DCI Robin Lyons, although can easily be read as a stand alone. I read Critical Incidents when it came out and although I enjoyed it, I didn’t feel it was quite up to Lucie’s normal standard. This is the second Robin Lyons and puts the author back on form. It’s fast moving, a nice balance between work and personal stuff, no long and detailed descriptions, that, in this case, would be entirely unnecessary. The plot is well thought through and whilst is somewhat unbelievable, it is written in such a way, it renders the entire plot, totally believable. I was given the opportunity to read this via Pigeonhole, but I have also brought the book for my personal collection. Looking forward to the next in the series.