Southern Cross

(Paperback)

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Description

Robbery, murder, vandalism, incompetence and not enough parking spaces - just another day in the life of a big city's police department.

Judy Hammer has accepted the challenge of Richmond, Virginia's police department to try and reverse the escalating crime statistics in the city. She brings with her Deputy Chief Virginia West and Andy Brazil, now a full-time police officer. They find a lot of things they are all too familiar with - teenage gangs, a rash of robberies at cash dispensers, street corner drug-dealing, racial tensions, too many people with too many guns and a cardiac inducing lack of parking spaces. They also meet resentment from the established police force and over-high expectations from the city's institutions. Then a computer virus crashes the police computer, freezing their screens with a design of blue fish, and the same blue fish appears on the statue of Jefferson Davis, which a graffiti artist has turned into a black basketball player and a gang called the Pikes claim it is their symbol, which also has links to the robberies. In an incredibly fast-moving police procedural Patricia Cornwell takes her readers on a roller-coaster ride of action and emotion.

Reviews

'Cornwell peels off every layer of this taut society in a careering crime drama that is full of suspense and excitement and has a shaft of humanity beneath the tough talk and the wisecracks.' GOOD HOUSEKEEPING 'some very fine comic scenes.' DAILY TELEGRAPH 'this highly entertaining confection shows Cornwell clearly has more than one string to her bow.' IRELAND ON SUNDAY 'Always a winner.' NEWCASTLE UPON TYNE CHRONICLE 'fast and funny.' EASTERN DAILY PRESS 'The humour is new for Cornwell, and combined with the farcical storyline is entertaining.' SCOTLAND ON SUNDAY 'Action packed.' ESSENTIALS 'It all adds up to a highly entertaining confection.' SOUTH WALES EVENING POST 'A thoroughly entertaining read.' GATESHEAD HERALD, SOUTH TYNESIDE HERALD 'Highly enjoyable.' (IRELAND) EVENING HERALD 'Cornwell has demonstrated that she is no one trick pony.' CRIME TIME 'a rattling good yarn from one of the masters of the genre,' U MAGAZINE

Author Bio

Patricia Cornwell's first novel POSTMORTEM, won five international awards (a record) and she has also been awarded the Gold Dagger. She is a No 1 bestseller internationally.