Jake Woodhouse — After the Silence

Penguin Books 2014 Paperback, 458pp. A body is found hanging on a hook above the canals of Amsterdam's old town, a mobile phone forced into the victim's mouth. In a remote coastal village, a doll lies in the ashes of a burnt-down house. But the couple who died in the fire had no children of their own. Did a little girl escape the blaze? And, if so, who is she and where is she now? Inspector Jaap Rykel knows that he's hunting a clever and brutal murderer. Still grieving from the violent death of his last partner, Rykel must work alongside a junior out-of-town detective with her own demons to face, if he has any hope of stopping the killer from striking again. Their investigation reveals two dark truths: everybody in this city harbours secrets - and hearing those secrets comes at a terrible price . 'After the Silence' introduces Inspector Jaap Rykel in a gripping debut police procedural from Jake Woodhouse, which is sure to appeal to fans of Ian Rankin, Peter Robinson and Stuart MacBride. This is the first novel in The Amsterdam Quartet series. (ISBN: 9781405914284). Very Good.