Reviewed by Rama Gaind.
By Michael Connelly, Allen & Unwin, $32.99.
One of the finest characters to come out of the remarkable thrillers by Connelly is methodical police detective Harry Bosch. Another is journalist Jack McEvoy, who makes his third most welcome appearance in the intriguing Fair Warning.
The plot centres on the website FairWarning, which focuses on consumer fraud, examining how online news sites are serving a niche for journalists and readers.
McEvoy is drawn back into crime reporting after a woman is murdered by ‘internal decapitation’. Two policemen show up at his apartment to question him about a woman whose neck was broken in a sort of whiplash fashion. The death looks like an accident, but the detectives are suspicious, and they consider Jack a suspect because he had spent a night with the woman.
Jack decides to instinctively follow his own leads about cyber stalking. Research leads him to a story involving the dark web, a black market for DNA and a serial killer. As he delves into the world of DNA testing and analytical companies, Jack finds they are barely regulated.
The story also puts McEvoy back in contact with former FBI agent – and one-time girlfriend – Rachel Walling.
A former police reporter for the Los Angeles Times, Connelly puts an energetic pace into Fair Warning. It spins an exciting and realistic look at the essence of good journalism that’s based on ethical reporting and publishing the right details. He also skillfully intertwines modern issues into solid plots.
What is the name of the publication where Connelly worked as a reporter? If your answer is correct, then you could win one of two copies of Fair Warning. Entries should be sent to [email protected] by Monday, 10 August 2020. Names of the winners will be announced in Frank Cassidy’s PS-sssst…! column on 11 August 2020.
