Cathy C. (cathyskye) - , reviewed on 4/20/2021 + 2307 more book reviews

I loved the first two Charlie Priest police procedurals by Stuart Pawson so much that it came as a shock to realize how long it had been since I'd read them. I quickly picked up this third book in the series to rectify the matter. The Judas Sheep brought me right back into the story of one of my favorite coppers.

Stuart Pawson knows how to create multi-layered mysteries with excellent pacing, and his writing style draws me right into the story, but-- as is the case with any character-driven reader-- it's Charlie Priest himself who's the shining beacon in this series. He's a good investigator with an excellent team around him, and they are all familiar with his little quirks. (Like to be called by your title? You can count on Charlie to make a point of calling you by name. Several times.) His irreverent sense of humor is a thing of beauty, and I adore Charlie's similes.

In The Judas Sheep, it's good to see Charlie taking his health scare seriously. Of course, it helps that there's a new woman in his life, so learning that there are actually perks to not living for his job comes as a pleasant surprise to him. But if there's one sure thing about Charlie, it's that he's passionate about justice, and he wants justice not only for the dead but for the living, too. Most police in search of results would not treat a dead woman's sister the way Charlie does, and I love the character all the more for it.

If you enjoy police procedurals with engrossing mysteries, a sense of humor, and a wonderful main character, you can't go wrong with Stuart Pawson's Charlie Priest series. If you want to give the series a try-- and I hope you will-- start at the beginning with The Picasso Scam. You're in for some fun.

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