The Dead on Leave — Chris Nickson

Leeds, Autumn 1936. During a British Union of Fascists rally, a body is found. War veteran Detective Sergeant Urban Raven is tasked with finding the killer. But with virtually no clues, no witnesses and no obvious motive, he has few leads to start the investigation. Leeds has become a shadow of its former self. Once a bright, vibrant and progressive metropolis, it has all but ground to a halt since the Crash of ’29, the Depression and the ensuing descent into unemployment and poverty. And there are political stirrings as the BUF vie with the Communist Party for public support. Was the murder an act of vengeance? Was the victim killed for his political beliefs? Or was the killing part of a more sinister plan, a grisly smear campaign? And if so, which side, if either, is responsible? Raven and his colleagues find themselves constantly hindered by red tape, politics and the press. But sometimes, if you want a result, you just have to do it your way… This puzzler of a crime story comprises convincing characters, a clever plot and a window into the dark days of 1930s northern England, where so many had lost hope… …the dead. On leave.