Murder in retribution Acton and Doyle Scotland Yard Mystery Series, Book 2

Two of Scotland Yard's finest—who happen to be married—navigate darkest London to solve a series of murders that blur every line between right and wrong. Chief Inspector Michael Sinclair, also known as Lord Acton, and rookie detective Kathleen Doyle ruffle more than a few feathers at CID Headquarters when their relationship comes to light. But office politics quickly become trivial amid a rash of underworld murders. As the body count climbs, Doyle uncovers a vicious war over lucrative turf between the Russian mafia and an Irish terrorist group. But their acts of revenge are almost too much for Scotland Yard to keep up with—and when Acton seems unusually troubled by the crimes, Doyle wonders what sparked the conflict in the first place. Perhaps there's nothing more to it than under-the-table business dealings gone awry. Or perhaps a single act of vigilante justice ignited a brutal battle. As Doyle and Acton fight not to become the next victims, they'll find that the truth may be best left unspoken, and retribution may be best left to fate...“Romantic suspense fans will welcome Cleeland's second New Scotland Yard mystery...Distinctive characters, including Aiki, a friendly Rwandan cab driver who acts as Doyle's self-appointed protector, compliment the finely wrought, highly charged plot.”—Publishers Weekly In Anne Cleeland's engaging and original new mystery series, two of Scotland Yard's most gifted detectives navigate the darkest corners of London to solve a murder that will blur every line between right and wrong. . . Despite their investigative prowess, Chief Inspector Michael Sinclair, Lord Acton, and rookie detective Kathleen Doyle stir more than a few feathers at CID Headquarters when their relationship comes to light. But office politics quickly become trivial when a rash of underworld murders shatters London's normally austere fa?ade. With a growing list of successfully solved cases to her name, the ever-dauntless Doyle shakes off the gossip and sets out to investigate the escalating turf war. As the body count climbs, Doyle uncovers a seedy world where fractious members of the Russian mafia and an Irish terrorist group are fighting for control of a lucrative underground business. But their crooked deals and volleying acts of revenge are almost too much for Scotland Yard to keep up with, and when Doyle notices that Acton seems unusually troubled by the crimes, she begins to wonder what sparked the conflict in the first place. Perhaps there's nothing more to the murders than under-the-table business dealings gone awry. Or perhaps a single act of vigilante justice fanned the flames that ignited a vicious turf war. As Doyle and Acton fight not to become the next victims, they'll find that the truth may be best left unspoken, and retribution may be best left to fate. . . "[T]his entertaining pair will linger in readers' imaginations, making them want more." -- Booklist Praise for Murder in Thrall "Thrilling...will keep you guessing until the very last page!" --Victoria Thompson, national bestselling author of Murder in Chelsea "It's been a long time since I encountered two characters this charming and engaging. I look forward to more of their adventures." --David Morrell, New York Times bestselling author of Murder as a Fine Art "The test of a good book is always how much one thinks about the characters when the book is done, and I am still wondering what would happen next." -- Suspense Magazine "Cleeland has a smooth way of dialogue and many of her characters' conversations play like subtle games of reason and wit." -- Daily Pilot In Anne Cleeland's engaging and original new mystery series, two of Scotland Yard's most gifted detectives navigate the darkest corners of London to solve a murder that will blur every line between right and wrong. . .Despite their investigative prowess, Chief Inspector Michael Sinclair, Lord Acton, and rookie detective Kathleen Doyle stir more than a few feathers at CID Headquarters when their relationship comes to light. But office politics quickly become trivial when a rash of underworld murders shatters London's normally austere façade. With a growing list of successfully solved cases to her name, the ever-dauntless Doyle shakes off the gossip and sets out to investigate the escalating turf war.As the body count climbs, Doyle uncovers a seedy world where fractious members of the Russian mafia and an Irish terrorist group are fighting for control of a lucrative underground business. But their crooked deals and volleying acts of revenge are almost too much for Scotland.. Detective Kathleen Doyle has her hands full. She has recently been paired with the newly promoted Detective Sergeant Williams to investigate a turf war--a series of retribution murders between the Russians and the Irish, both of whom are trying to control a lucrative underworld business. Kathleen also just learned that she's pregnant and must now deal with the repercussions of her hasty marriage in the form of Chief Inspector Acton's mother, the displeased dowager, who makes an unannounced visit. Still worse, Kathleen senses that Acton is carrying out a "scorched earth" retribution of his own and that he instigated the turf war to rid London of its villains. She worries that he is meting out his own form of justice--and who knows what will happen if it's exposed? Doyle is assisting Acton in investigating a turf war between the Russian mafia and a Sinn Fein splinter group, with the warring sides in a fight to the death over who will control a money-laundering operation at the local race course. The London CID is racking up a body count and Doyle can dredge up little sympathy for the victimsthat is, until she notices there is very little forensic evidence at any of the scenes. In the second book of the Murder series, Doyle and Acton find themselves trying to outwit enemies foreign and domestic as they work to untangle the reason that the underworld war has spun out of control.