Vacuum (The Harpur & Iles Mysteries #28)

By: Bill James

Sign Up Now! Already a Member? Log In
You must be logged into Bookshare to access this title. Learn about membership options, or view our freely available titles.

Synopsis: Harpur and Iles juggle a new drug kingpin and a new chief in this hilarious police procedural from &“the Elmore Leonard of Britain&’s underworld&” (Kirkus Reviews). After his wife and son are gunned down in what appears to be a hit gone wrong, Local drug boss Mansel Shale turns to religion, leaving his drug business up for grabs. His second-in-command, a weirdo who believes he is Generalissimo Franco, is the wrong man to lead the organization, especially with rival Ralph Ember eager to gain control of Shale&’s territory. Neither Assistant Chief Desmond Iles nor DCS Colin Harpur wants a drug war. Both believe in the motto &“No blood on the pavement.&” But their new chief has a different motto—&“Lock &’em up and toss away the key&”—and is pushing matters in the wrong direction. &“The qualities that make James&’s books stand out from the crowd are his masterful ability with words and his howlingly funny, darkly brutal humor. . . . Despite the seriousness of the plot, it&’s impossible not to laugh aloud at the fierce ripostes, subtle digs, and overt insults peppered across every page. A true delight from a genre master.&” —Booklist (starred review) &“Not only the most stylishly adventurous books in British crime fiction today but also the funniest.&” —The Telegraph