River of Darkness (John Madden Series #1)
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Upon its original publication, River of Darkness awed readers who look for intelligent, well-plotted psychological mysteries. This “fine, frightening piece of work” (Kirkus Reviews) introduces inspector John Madden who, in the years following World War I, is sent to a small village to investigate a particularly gruesome attack. The local police dismiss the slaughter as a botched robbery, but Madden detects the signs of a madman at work. With the help of Dr. Helen Blackwell, who introduces him to the latest developments in criminal psychology, Madden sets out to identify and capture the killer, even as the murderer sets his sights on his next innocent victims. “It’s the tactics and the terrain, the morale and the characters that make the difference between an average thriller and one as good as this.”—Christopher Dickey, The New York Times Book Review “One of the best mysteries I have read in years.”—Donald M. Murray, The Boston GlobeNew York Times Book Review"...the suspense novelist's basic strategy is always obvious. It's the tactics and terrain, the morale and the characters that make the difference between an average thriller and one as good as this. Airth has balanced savagery and civilization neatly, and given civilization just the barest edge... Airth is supposed to working on a sequel already, no doubt following Madden's further investigations. If the inspector continues looking into the narrow crimes of individual men linked to the great crimes of the Great War, there will be plenty of stories to tell.
