Flash back to Prime Suspect’s beginning

Murder Mile By Lynda La Plante, Allen & Unwin, $37

In Murder Mile Lynda Laplante takes us back to 1979 and to a Jane Tennison who has just made it to detective sergeant, so yes, it’s a flash back to the beginnings of what became the highly acclaimed Prime Suspect series.

Jane is based in Peckham, one of London’s toughest spots, and with a background of Britain in an economic crisis. The streets are awash with rubbish because of strikes, and it’s in this challenging environment that firstly one body is found, but it’s only the beginning. Initially the first two bodies don’t seem to have much in common, except that they are found close to each other. Just three days later another body appears and the headlines shout about a serial killer. The newspapers also proclaim police incompetence.

The hours are long, the pressure immense, but Jane’s intuition is telling her something that doesn’t resonate with her boss and the other members of the murder squad. Her conviction grows as do her fears. Jane Tennison’s ability as an investigator takes a big leap forward as she uncovers the truth and the killer in Murder Mile. —