Expiry Date - Alex Walters

Poor DI Alec Mckay…..the guy just can’t catch a break (plus I’m beginning to think he’s a bit of a s**t magnet). He recently reunited with his wife & in an attempt to score points, he’s spending some time off walking the grounds of a local castle with the in-laws. So he really wasn’t expecting to find the first body. As for the second one…well, that just put a damper on the whole day.

 

His boss DCI Helena Grant isn’t faring much better. Her latest foray into online dating was a disaster. Initially, she wrote him off as annoying (and icky). But after some disturbing events, she’s beginning to wonder if he’s as harmless as she thought.

 

Get ready for lots of twists & turns. Both of these plot lines head off in surprising directions that keep you reading. The story deals with some serious issues but the addition of dry humour & sharp dialogue provide some welcome breaks in the tension when things get hairy.

 

This is such an enjoyable series. Each can be read as a stand alone with different investigations that challenge the reader. What unites the books is the relationship between Mckay & Grant. They’ve worked together for years & are used to each other’s personality tics. Mckay loves to grumble & mutter, providing darkly funny commentary as he digs into each case with relish. Grant is the kind of boss who is smart enough to give him lots of rope. He may be a bit unorthodox but his clearance rate speaks for itself.

 

Last year, the author stepped away from his series to bring us Winterman, an historical who-dun-it I really enjoyed. But it’s always a treat to catch up with Mckay. So bring on book #5!