Silvermeadow, by Barry Maitland

( 1559706147)

Great series that always reminds me of Elizabeth George's series. I just discovered Maitland a few months ago, and what a find!

This one takes place primarily in a mega-mall outside of London called "Silvermeadow." There are two real investigations going on at the mall: a missing teenage girl who turns up dead in a box compacter (ugh!), and a sighting of a notorious bank robber and murderer. The only part of the book that was just too facile was that of course both investigations are related; they have to be or the book just wouldn't work. And Kathy does a lot of talking herself into that fact, when the reader already knows, as soon as both stories are mentioned. Otherwise, the story progresses very appropriately, with good character development. We do get to see behind Brock and Kathy's face-saving walls into their personal lives this time.

Really, though, this is a book delving into mall culture, "lost" people (including teens), and what we may have lost in our culture by giving completely over to consumerism. Of course, there is the obligatory climax scene where the bad guys are confronted -- and I have to say that I was somewhat blindsided by who it turns out to be -- but again, it seemed natural and literate.

Long aside: I'm happy to now be on the side of "right" in this book, having lived in mall culture for the first 15 years of my life: every Saturday afternoon as early as I can remember until I went off to college--and possibly over summer vacations as well--Mom and I went to the library and the mall and bought something. What could we have been shopping for every week?! As an adult, I am apparently the only woman on Planet Earth who loathes shopping. At least the wandering about through store after store looking for just that perfect dress...or whatever. I'm more of a "boy" shopper: list in hand, I go directly to the store that sells what I need. I buy. I leave. If the first store doesn't have what I want, I go one (ONE!) other place, then give up: who needs it anyway? Wandering with my mom all those years through (at that point) the largest mall in the world cured me for the rest of my life.

Anyway. I can't wait till the next Kathy & Brock book appears.