My ardor for Peter Grainger’s King’s Lake police procedural series, set in northern England, has waned slightly in the time since he made the (probably inevitable) decision to let his previous main character, the enigmatic Detective Inspector D.C. Smith, retire (though he remains a presence in the stories). The team has a more modern look now, headed up by DI Cara Freeman (the obligatory Strong Female Lead), and including a black woman and a “gay” guy. (There may be other ethnic or societal subtleties that I missed because author Grainger is shy with character descriptions.) Nevertheless, I found Some Sort of Justice, book 17 in the series, engrossing and effective.

DI Freeman’s superiors offer her a case, implying strongly that she might be wise to turn it down. It’s a reinvestigation of a death more than a year old, and it’s also a potential minefield. The victim was an earl, whose sister is unsatisfied with the police’s conclusions. He was found dead in a pool after a party at the home of a high-level entertainment agent. Accepting the case, Freeman soon learns that the facts are very hard to determine. The cremated body is no longer available for examination. The host’s story doesn’t make sense. And it appears that a prominent politician was present and desires very much to cover that up. As the investigation goes on, the team is confronted again and again with the choice between doing the easy, political thing or seeking the truth. They choose to seek the truth, but they’ll lead a lot of intelligence, some shrewd strategizing, and a little plain luck if they’re to keep their careers when it’s all over.

I was highly pleased with more than one conservative sentiment expressed in passing. I enjoyed Some Sort of Justice. Cautions for adult themes.