A Killer Legacy by Jim McGhee
A serial killer is executed in a courtroom surrounded by police.
Who in their right mind would take such a risk? And why?
But in a South of France being torn apart by anti-British protests and deadly wildfires, nothing is as it seems.
Amidst the chaos, DI Barney Mains must somehow distinguish friend from foe.
For he has been landed with the victim's dying wish.
And it's something he just has to do.
Even if it kills him…
About the author
Jim McGhee's a former award-winning environmental journalist.
Based in East Lothian, near Edinburgh, Scotland, he spends much of each year (in normal times) in the South of France, the main setting for the DI Barney Mains series, with tolerant wife Jean and rampant Irish Terrier, Jack.
After a full-on career as a campaigning newspaper reporter, he and Jean launched their own recruitment company in central Edinburgh and for twelve fun-packed years worked closely together alongside their brilliant team - without spilling a single drop of blood.
The Alpes-Maritimes and Var departments, on the other hand, have provided a host of dramatic locations just perfect as inspiration for the odd spot of fictional gore.
Locals, blessed with scenery ranging from unspoiled mountain villages to the classic palms-and-marinas coast, claim that they can be swimming one moment and skiing a little over an hour later.
Though when not writing or travelling en famille, Jim's more likely to be off on a hike in the hills with his ever-ready buddy, Jack.
Follow him at:
Facebook : https://www.facebook.com/bigbarneymains
Instagram :https://www.instagram.com/bigbarneymains
Twitter: https://twitter.com/bigbarneymains
Website : https://www.jimmcghee.net/
Review
Reading a Barney Mains novel now feels like catching up with some very good friends!
This is the third book in the series but you can read it as a standalone, although I would advise reading the other two books. Especially to get the background to the reason Nels is in the dock at the start of this book. Plus they are just fun books and I'm sure you will enjoy reading them!
DI Barney Mains is once again a police officer, well technically he always was as his resignation wasn't processed. However, he has been seconded to the south of France as a liaison to the UK forces as there has been an outbreak of arson targeting wealthy ex-pats in the community. Plus, there is a lot of anti-British sentiment which he needs to get a grip with and try to counter it. Not a hard job eh?! Then on top of that there is the dramatic death of Nels. Whilst sat in court to face his crimes he is assassinated and there is no trace of his killer! But then Barney is contacted by a mysterious person who has a message for him from the dead. Will Barney do what is asked of him and will he manage to solve the fires…
All the characters you have grown to love are in this book - Barney, Ffiona, Jean-Luc and Shona! Plus there is the addition of Jack, who is a Charlie Chaplin lookalike, and I hope that we will see more of him in the future as he was brilliant. I did feel that Shona and Ffiona were slightly on the sidelines in this outing and I missed them! Fingers crossed there are more involved in the next book!
I thoroughly enjoyed Barney’s capers in ‘A Killer Legacy’ and it was intriguing to see that Jim and myself may have the same political leanings. It was interesting to see the topic of Brexit from the opposite side of the coin and how the growth of the right-wing in France can focus on this. Just look at the last French Presidential election to see this in real life! I loved the focus on justice even if it comes from weird sources. Saying that I felt there could have been a bigger reveal of ‘the papers’ and a bigger fallout as a result! But then everything you read and your reactions are subjective and if that was my only niggle then it has been a great book.
Roll on book 4! Best get writing Jim…
