BIG MONEY

Another solid--but less involving--Glasgow police-procedural from the author of Dead Knock and Deep and Crisp and Even. The Central crime this time is the big-money robbery of the Maryhill Post Office, pulled off without a hitch by a masked gang. At first, despite meticulous examination of all the physical evidence, including the abandoned getaway car, there seems to be nary a decent clue. But then fingerprints on the car's interior match up with those of long-missing Mrs. Flora Middleton, wife of the Post Office manager! So it isn't long before the police are closing in on Middleton (a member of Gamblers Anonymous), finding his wife's body, and identifying the other member of the robbery-gang--including, as the reader already knows, one of the Glasgow policemen (another unlucky gambler). No real suspense or surprises as the action moves back and forth between cops and robbers--but sturdy forensic detail and some crusty Glasgow atmosphere provide some much-needed texture.