The latest case for Detective Sergeant Washington Poe and brilliant mastermind Tilly Bradshaw is also the darkest so far in the series.
As in the previous books the chapters are short, it’s a fast-paced, gripping read, full of twists and turns, some expected, others utterly surprising. The story starts as Washington Poe sits down to tell a psychiatrist the events that have led to his PTSD. Which means we keep switching timelines and Craven cleverly sets his cliffhangers that way. I won’t tell you anything about the case itself which centres once more on Poe alone. Something I still find a bit sad because I’d like to see more of Tilly, Estelle and Stephanie, especially to see them evolve. On the plus side of things, I very much enjoyed Craven’s love for details. Not only does he delve into trauma psychology this time but it’s also in the little things, like the Policeman Grotesque on Carlisle Cathedral.
“The Mercy Chair” had me hooked from page one and I do hope the story of Poe and Tilly continues soon.
