The Major Minor Murders by Jim McGhee

There's been a murder. And the only suspect has vanished. Even his own brother, DI Barney Mains, thinks he's guilty.

But when the missing man's teenage daughter begs Barney to help, he has no choice. And before long he starts to question whether the criminal brother he hasn't seen for ten years could actually be innocent this time. It's just that everyone seems to be in an all-fired hurry to pin the killing on him.

Despite there being a pair of highly visible alternative candidates - a tall ex-army type and a sidekick built like a tank. The trail leads Barney to the South of France and the gated world of the super-rich.

For only there will he discover whether his brother is a killer on the run.

Or the next victim...

About the author

Jim McGhee's a former award-winning environmental journalist.
Based in East Lothian, near Edinburgh, Scotland, he spends much of each year (in normal times) in the South of France, the main setting for the DI Barney Mains series, with tolerant wife Jean and rampant Irish Terrier, Jack.
After a full-on career as a campaigning newspaper reporter, he and Jean launched their own recruitment company in central Edinburgh and for twelve fun-packed years worked closely together alongside their brilliant team - without spilling a single drop of blood.
The Alpes-Maritimes and Var departments, on the other hand, have provided a host of dramatic locations just perfect as inspiration for the odd spot of fictional gore.
Locals, blessed with scenery ranging from unspoiled mountain villages to the classic palms-and-marinas coast, claim that they can be swimming one moment and skiing a little over an hour later.
Though when not writing or travelling en famille, Jim's more likely to be off on a hike in the hills with his ever-ready buddy, Jack.

Review

‘The Major Minor Murders’ is a fantastic read! It's entertaining, sucks you right in from the start, nicely builds up the tempo to a fabulously taut ending and I just love Barney Mains! This is the second in the series but you can read it as a standalone though. However, I do recommend reading it as it's a great read and one book isn't too much to catch up on. If you do read this book and loved it you might be interested to know that the third book ‘A Killer Legacy’ is already out!

Barney Mains has given up life in Scotland as a police officer and moved to the south of France to indulge his love of painting and just indeed a better quality of life. However, when his niece, who he hasn't seen for 10 years, accosts him on the promenade he is shocked. Even more so when she tells him that his brother has been accused of murder and he has to sort it out! His initial reaction is that he must have done - he is already a criminal… However, he does fly back to Edinburgh and despite everyone saying he is guilty Barney begins to have doubts as he starts an investigation and other evidence emerges.

I thoroughly enjoyed returning to Barney’s world and the roster of characters like Ffiona, Jean-Luc and Shona. I hope Maurice is going to be a permanent addition as he was very cool! Getting to know more about Barney’s family was a bonus as well. I did want to know the answer to one question about when Ricky was sent to prison but alas maybe in the next book. It's a tiny question and not at all significant to the plot tho - it's just my stupid mind and how it works. In addition, to great characters Jim has managed to invoke a marvellous sense of location, which is hard when both places are so different. When we read about the French side you can feel the sun radiating off the page, imagine the amazing food and picture-perfect towns and villages scattered across imposing cliffs. Juxtapose this with the descriptions of Scotland's weather, amazing warm people and for me, it comes across as near damn perfect.

This book moves slightly away from the political aspects of ‘The Detective Wakes’ into a more general high stakes thriller and boy is there is lots of action to keep you hooked! Add in the art world, pompous toffs and private planes and you know you are in for a great read! Art crime is something I am fascinated by so this was right up my street.

Let me know if you read this one! I'm already reading the next one…