The Black Highway: A Gripping Summer Thriller of Family Secrets, International Drug Trafficking, and a Mother's Fight to Protect Her Daughter Amidst a ... for Summer Reading (Laughton Rees, 3)

The Black Highway by Simon Toyne is a highly recommended investigative thriller. In England the River Thames is also called the black highway because of the number of homicide victims that are found in it. This is the third novel in the Laughton Rees series.

Detective Chief Inspector Tannahill Khan is called to the banks of the Thames where a male body, without hands and head, has been found. Tannahill is in a relationship with forensic specialist Laughton Rees so he immediately notices that her address has been written on the mans arm. The same night Laughton's teenage daughter, Gracie, demands to know who her father is for a school family tree project. Gracie’s father, Shelby Facer, was recently released from prison for his show more involvement in an international drug trafficking ring. When he unexpectedly turns up at Laughton's door he provides information that leads to the identification of the body. Then a second body in the same condition is found in the Thames.

It seems the case is tied to events from years ago and Tannahill and Laughton need to explore a past case, one that Laughton's father, Police Commissioner John Rees, was involved with. There are several twists and complications as the even-paced plot unfolds and new clues and evidence is uncovered. The pace does seem slow in the middle of the narrative. Along the way, the relationship between Laughton and Tannahill is explored and further developed.

The writing is very good and the story is interesting, however, having Gracie's father show up right after she learns his name is was way-too-much of a concurrence at the opening of the novel. It tempered my opinion while reading the rest of the novel, which essentially meant it had to be excellent in order to make-up for that glaring coincidence. Keep reading. It does make amends in many ways and the ending is surprising.

The Black Highway is a great choice for those who enjoy procedurals and investigative thrillers. Thanks to HarperCollins for providing me with an advance reader's copy via Edelweiss. My review is voluntary and expresses my honest opinion.

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The novel gets exciting from the first page when a body with no head or hands is pulled from the river. Detective Chief Inspector Tannahill Khan is the lead person on the case. He is also in a romance with Laughton. She's had a very checkered past and worked very hard to become the person that she is today. The most important part of her life is her 15 year old daughter Gracie, who is starting to ask questions about who her father is and Laughton reluctantly tells her about her father - how and where they met, their quick relationship they had and the fact that he is now is jail. Shelby Facer is in prison for his part in an international drug ring and Laughton hasn't seen or spoken to him since she got pregnant. She's surprised when he show more shows up at her door -- he is newly out of prison and has some information for her on the murder case she's working on and is able to identify the man that was pulled out of the river with no head or hands. It turns out that the victim was part of the drug smuggling ring that Laughton's father was investigating when he died. As Laughton goes back and starts going through her father's files, the case gets even more complicated for her. While she is working the case and trying to work out her relationship with Tannahill, her life is even more complicated by her spoiled teenage daughter. Will she be able to work through her life issues and find the clues to solve the crime?

This was an interesting police procedural and the setting in London makes it even more intriguing. I thought that it was a bit long but any negatives that I felt about the story were erased with the surprise ending that I never saw coming. I enjoyed it so much that I just ordered the first two books in the series. show less

If you're looking for a thriller with a British setting and some relationship drama, this is likely for you. A forensic specialist who, as a runaway, had a daughter with a manipulative man when she was a teen herself faces a problem when that man gets out of prison and wants to connect. She's also consulting on a case of a man found in the Thames with his head and hands removed, which appears connected to the crime that landed the father in prison. The ending is fast-paced, thrilling, and twisty.

So you may enjoy it! I found it not really my cup of tea, a bit written to formula, but others will likely disagree. It's the third book in a trilogy and I could follow it all without any issue, but it might be especially appealing to those show more already familiar with the characters. show less