A mystery set in that very evocative era between the world wars, in which a police detective recognizes the kind of obsession a killer is driven by as he prepares for his victims. The psychology at the end is a bit heavy handed, but probably apt for the era, and I found the plot and writing very engaging. ( )

This is an intricate mystery by South African author Airth although set in England in the days following WWI when a man in uniform wearing a gas mask bayonets his victims. The detective is a disconsolate John Madden who survived the war but whose wife and daughter both died in the influenza pandemic. The quirk of Airth's story is that the murderer is revealed to the reader early on. A good story with a dramatic ending, but a tad long. ( )

River Of Darkness. The first John Madden novel. Rennie Airth. 1999. I really enjoyed this book. The critics compare the author to P. D. James; he is good but not that good. World War I is over and Madden returns from the front to re-join the police department. A loner, he is somber and quiet. The changes in his personality are attributed the war. He is assigned a horrendous murder case: an entire family is murdered in what would now be considered a home invasion. Before he can get a handle on this case, another home invasion occurs. Madden works methodically and with the help of an attractive young doctor manages to

indentify the murderer. Some might consider this book slow moving, but Arith just takes his time like P.D. James does. Violence and sex scenes. ( )

This is crime fiction - a historical mystery/police procedural set in post WWI featuring Scotland Yard Inspector John Madden. Madden, having lost his wife and baby daughter to influenza and then served in WWI in the trenches, is back on the force at Scotland Yard. As one would expect, he is not the same man and carries his own scars from his experiences. When we meet up with him, he has just been assigned to solve the grisly multiple murders of a household in Surrey. This is very well done with good pacing, suspenseful even though we know pretty early on who the murderer is. I liked how twisty it was and the details of the newly evolving forensic techniques. ( )

There were too many police people by names which got confusing trying to recall who were more important and who were just there at that moment. The interaction between local constables and Scotland Yard showed the power struggles that ruin many investigations. The details of the murders were gruesome but not overly dramatically done. Overall the book read like something written 50 years ago in style, you knew who did it and just waited for the details to get put together. Liked the slight humor with Madden and Billy, the rookie cop. Surprised how quickly the Dr. got sexually involved. Ending fit the storyline and created more suspense than mystery to the book. Horrors of war results on people clearly shown. ( )