The Chalon Heads

When Sammy Starling, a former London gangster with a passion for collecting, discovers that his beautiful young wife is missing, he assumes old enemies in the police force are taking their revenge. Ten years ago Starling’s evidence of police corruption put DI Marty Keller, an ambitious, clever young cop with everything to live for, behind bars. Now Keller is out. And getting even.

But as investigations into Eva Starling’s disappearance proceed, it’s DCI David Brock who is under suspicion of corruption. His team is disbanded and Detective Sergeant Kathy Kolla is reassigned to the Fraud Squad. Unsuccessfully trying to come to terms with Brock’s disgrace, Kolla needs to find out why nothing in this case seems to be making sense.

Using the tenacity, ingenuity and intelligence Brock is relying on, Kolla links the pieces in this puzzle of kidnapping, murder and revenge, and finds answers that no one is expecting.

The Marx Sisters, Maitland’s first novel, was shortlisted for the John Creasey Award for best first crime novel and his second, The Malcontenta, was joint winner of the inaugural Ned Kelly Award for best crime novel. All My Enemies followed in 1996 and The Chalon Heads is the fourth gripping case for the Scotland Yard team of DCI Brock and his assistant DS Kathy Kolla.