Fear of violence directed toward one’s person and possessions is a worldwide issue, and the Francis team delivers another page-turning mystery that centers on that topic. We see inside of the British legal system as Geoffrey Mason (no relation to Perry) is forced to face personal attacks and threats by someone determined to see a particular case go a particular way. Along the way, Mr. Mason meets others that have been on the receiving end of similar warnings, and his professional principles continue to be challenged in ways he had never imagined.

This is one of the finest examples of the power of the first-person narrative. We are right there for all of the terror and anxiety at every turn, wondering along with Geoffrey if the baseball bat is coming in the next paragraph. The mystery aspect is also top quality, and keeps the reader guessing all the way through. In many places, it feels as though you are being toyed with; a clue is right there, you think you have it figured out, and it turns into a red herring. This is a well-crafted story.

Rated: Moderate. Six f-bombs and 6 s-words are dropped in this book, as well as 80 more incidents of mild to moderate language, of which 20 involve taking the Lord’s name in vain.