ONCE A BIKER

A dying man’s confession makes York detectives take a second look at a case they thought was closed, while solving a case they didn’t know was open.

Ex-biker Tony Wells tells hospice counselor Gillian Stoneman that he’d helped put Terry North into the ground at Foxfoot Wood. Sure enough, the sniffer dogs find a body buried there along with biker’s leathers. Learning from Terry’s parents that their son once rode with the Dungeon Kings, DCI Hennessey and his sergeant, Somerled Yellich (Chelsea Smile, 2007, etc.), along with young constables Thompson Ventnor and Reginald Webster, make the rounds of the remaining Kings to see who knows what. Former Dungeon Master Richard Hawson, due for parole in a matter of weeks, keeps it zipped, as do Stefan “Animal” Zielinski, his former right-hand man, accountant John Bannister and Andrew Anglis, now married to the daughter of a cabinet minister. Hennessey and Yellich’s best hope is Harry “The Horse” Turner, who did time for the murder of Mandy Fryston, North’s girlfriend, but swears he was framed. The chance to clear his name is a powerful incentive for Turner—but one he must weigh against the terrifying inducements the remaining Kings offer for staying mum.

Turnbull’s latest provides a test not only for Hennessey’s investigative skills but for his ability to make room for younger members on his tight team.