The Red Telephone Box (DS Dave Slater Mystery Novels) (Volume 5)

When DS Dave Slater and his colleague DS Norman Norman stumble across, and apprehend, a teenage arsonist, it s no surprise to either of them when the youth threatens revenge as he s led away. Two nights later, when Slater is dragged from sleep to be told his friend s flat is on fire, his first thought is that maybe this had been no idle threat. But Norman has gone missing, and when a witness claims to have seen a Russian watching the flats, it soon becomes clear whoever is behind this is far more dangerous than Slater first thought. Considered too close to the victim to lead this investigation, Slater is told he has to accept a new boss, but no-one thinks to tell him the new boss is a woman, and at first he feels this could be one change too many. Fortunately, DI Marion Goodnews understands where Slater s attitude is coming from, and it s not long before she begins to win his respect with the way she handles the investigation. With three major suspects, and the discovery of a couple of clues in an old red telephone box, Slater and Goodnews feel they re making progress. Eliminating first one, and then a second suspect, they re sure they know who s to blame, but when Slater has an unexpected visit from the Russian, he realises they ve been barking up the wrong tree and the answer was there right in front of them all the time.