Friday, April 10, 2020

2020/039: Pressure Head -- J L Merrow

Even when it’s mates — especially when it’s mates — there’s always stuff they don’t want you to know about, and generally speaking, they’re right. Some things you’re just better off not knowing. [p. 104]

Tom Paretski works as a plumber in and around St Albans. He also, occasionally, does a favour for his friend Dave, who's with the police. Tom has a knack for finding things that are hidden or 'not right': great for fixing leaks, but also useful for locating, in this instance, the body of a murder victim.

The police aren't the only ones with an interest in the murder. Tom is introduced to private investigator Phil Morrison, who he's met before. At school, Tom had a crush on Phil: at school, Phil was part of a group of bullies who were responsible for an accident that left Tom with a dodgy hip.

But Phil, it turns out, is no longer prone to homophobic slurs. Quite the opposite ...

A surprisingly cosy murder mystery with an enemies-to-lovers romance, a twist of weirdness and an affectionate depiction of life in an English dormitory town. I wasn't wholly convinced by some of Tom's actions, and the villain was obvious almost from their first introduction: but I enjoyed the setting, and Tom's narrative voice is a delight. A fun read, and I may well read more in the series.

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