The Calling by Alison Bruce

The icy rain sprayed across the lake in shards of sharp splinters. Kaye’s skin smarted and dribbles of water slid inside her clothes. She was gagged and bound. And the only person who knew where to find her wasn’t coming back…

Fifty miles away in Cambridge town centre a deeply disturbed young woman is standing by a payphone. She knows she often feels compelled to do harmful things and is driven by a desire to make a call.

DC Gary Goodhew is one of the detectives assigned to find Kaye and when her body is discovered the only clue to the potential murderer is a woman’s voice on his answerphone saying, ‘Kaye isn’t the first and won’t be the last…’

The Calling – Alison Bruce’s third novel in the Gary Goodhew series – is another barnstormer of a novel and for me it marks a significant shift from the first two in the series (Cambridge Blue and The Siren). The Calling is a highly complex novel and includes a multi layered plot that moves in so many gratifying directions without once, seemingly, coming up for air.

The narrative flows unhindered and is without question of a more mature and adult nature this time around. Gone are the 50’s Cambridge vibes I found so endearing in Cambridge Blue, innocence lost, Bruce has really stepped up this time around with a deeper and more thought provoking novel.

Having said that, I didn’t think the beginning – for me at least – was as strong as her previous books (the opening to The Siren will be hard to beat) but by the time Bruce had re-introduced Gary Goodhew into the equation it was as if I’d opened the front door to a long lost friend and I was firmly ensconced in my comfort zone.

Characterisation is once again at the forefront of Bruce’s novels and with the introduction of numerous key “bit” players and the growth of the regular cast members it has allowed the story to grow – seamlessly moving off on multiple tangents – yet at the same time relying on Goodhew to keep the book on the right track. Goodhew is a wonderful protagonist for Bruce and she has steadily introduced subtle changes to his character throughout the course of the three books and as a reader you can’t ask for much more.

Kaye Whiting stared, unblinking, into the night. A thinning patch of cloud had revealed the ghost of a half-moon, while the cold night air pricked her eyes and made them water. She watched as the moon’s familiar face appeared to fly across the sky, but she knew it was only the clouds that moved, and they’d soon blot it out again.

She strained against the rope as she tried to free her fingers, but her wrists were bound tightly behind her, and lashed to her similarly tied ankles.

Goodhew is still the maverick detective he was in Cambridge Blue and although more confident in his abilities he remains cautious around his boss DI Marks and eager to please. Working alongside Goodhew is WPC Sue Gully who was introduced in The Siren. As a character and policewoman she never really made a mark on that book, she was always an outsider to the group, however in The Calling Gully has found her voice and thanks to a healthy crush on Goodhew, she works tirelessly to help him solve the case and find the serial killer.

Kincade is back again and his fractious relationship with Goodhew shows no sign of abating any time soon. In fact Kincade has a darker side to him in The Calling and facing pressure from his career orientated wife he does everything he can to get one over on Goodhew and secure “the win”. Character development, crucial in any series, is well thought out and delivered.

Given that The Calling is a crime novel I feel I should talk a little about the police procedural aspect of the book. Drawing on expert knowledge Bruce once again gives the reader an inside look at how the police attack a case from beginning to end. Investigating leads, interviewing suspects and liaising with neighbouring police forces, procedural is well delivered and more importantly believable. Procedural is a big part of any crime novel and Bruce utilises her knowledge with aplomb!

Another assured performance from Alison Bruce, the DC Goodhew series goes from strength to strength and although all three books can be read independently of each other you do gain a greater understanding of characters and the various relationships if read sequentially. Highly recommended.

Published by Constable “The Calling” is available from Amazon in Hardback.