Title: The Procurator Fiscal: Bodies in the Barrels Case
Author: Viktoria King
Publisher: URLink Print and Media
ISBN: 978-1-64367-399-8
Pages: 176
Genre: Fiction / Crime
Reviewed by: Susan Brown
Hollywood Book Reviews
A procurator fiscal, or PF, is a Scottish public prosecutor who investigates all sudden and suspicious deaths. The Procurator Fiscal: Bodies in the Barrels Case is an intense and spine-chilling crime drama novel. It showcases the efforts of main character Lieb Canavan, as a PF working to solve a series of grisly murders.
Murder, in the most ghastly way, is what this novel is all about. Author Viktoria King provides a comprehensive depiction of all facets of an investigation from finding a body, to forensic examination to conducting an autopsy, and finally to arresting a suspect. Her attention to detail is impressive and, actually, somewhat grueling to read. That, however, is what makes the story feel so real.
This novel, written in three episodes, begins with the Bodies in the Barrels Case. The gruesome discovery of a mutilated body, stuffed into a blue barrel and dropped into an old, abandoned well in a churchyard connects to a series of harrowing murders, investigated by Lieb, which have remained unsolved for six years.
This first murder discovery brings together the eclectic cast of characters we come to know as the investigation into this, and a connected murder unfolds. The juxtaposition of their ordinary personal lives with the horror of their professional world throughout provides just the right enough of normalcy to offset the grimness of the narrative.
It’s Lieb’s story, though, which drives the drama. Married to the love-of-his-life Rose, he is juggling the challenges of home and work, while at the same time hoping to unwind sailing, his favored hobby. It would be ill-advised to let slip too much about these two since much of the storyline revolves around their story. Suffice to say, both face unimaginable trials against ruthless villains.
As the barrel case winds down, Lieb is called to another. The magnitude of the crime and intensity of the investigation earns Lieb the moniker, “The Iceman.” This crime, and others, lead readers into the third part of this novel, the SAT Pack, an acronym that stands for Sexual Attack and Torture. This band of dangerous and deranged butchers create chaos in-and-around the coastal town of Dundee, Scotland, until … the end, which I won’t spoil.
It is clear that Viktoria King has done her homework. She writes with confidence about police operations and forensic science. Her descriptive writing of Scotland and the towns and landmarks referenced in this story clearly shows she did meticulous research about the country. The beauty and charm of the country is an effective counterbalance to the macabre tone to this book.
For fans of crime fiction, peppered with horror and psychological drama, this book hits all the high points. Be forewarned, once you start reading, it’s almost impossible not to finish this novel in one sitting.