Death Wore White — Jim Kelly

Det. Inspector Peter Shaw and veteran officer, Det. Sgt. George Valentine are sent to look for containters of toxic waste that may have been dumped on the Norfolk, English shore. While they are there they find the body of a man in a raft that is washing up against the shore. The weather is terrible with heavy snow.

Not far away, someone has placed a road sign that due to flooding on the main highway, vehicles should detour to the coastal road. A tree has been cut and is across that road, stranding eight cars. In addition, someone has killed Harvey Ellis, the driver of the first car in line.

When Shaw and Valentine arrive at the scene, what perplexes them is that although Ellis has been killed in a violent manner, there are no footsteps in the snow.

D.I. Shaw followed his father, Jack, into the police department. He is currently the youngest detective inspector on the job. He's teamed with Valentine, a no nonsense veteran. What adds possible tension between the partners is that Valentine had been Peter's father's old partner. Twelve years ago, Jack Shaw and Valentine made a mistake with the evidence on a case. The result was that it ended Shaw's career. Now, as Peter is investigating the highway case, he surprises Valentine by informing him that he wants to look into the old case.

This is a well done novel. The cars stuck in one place and no one else around is a variation of the locked room mystery. The author's literary style adds pleasure to the read and Shaw and Valentine make a good team. It is interesting to see the interaction between the crusty old veteran and his supervisor who is well educated and has a talent for forensics.

My dilemma was that I wanted to get to the end of the story to find out how it came out, but I was having such a good time reading the book that I didn't want it to end.