TLC Book Tour: Prime Suspect 2: A Face in the Crowd

A Face in the Crowd by Lynda La Plante 

Synopsis:  "The coroner’s report identifies the body as young, black, female, and impossibly anonymous. Yet one thing is clear to Detective Chief Inspector Jane Tennison about the latest victim discovered in one of London’s poorest districts—that news of her murder will tear apart a city already crackling with racial tensions, hurling Scotland Yard and Tennison herself into a maelstrom of shocking accusations and sudden, wrenching violence.

Even as London’s brutal killer remains at large, Tennison remains locked in a struggle to overcome her station house’s brutal chauvinism and insidious politicking. And as the department’s deeply rooted racism rears its head to overshadow every facet of her new investigation, the trail of her prime suspect is growing colder. Worse, when the details of the beleaguered detective’s stormy personal life explode across the headlines of London’s sleaziest tabloids, Tennison’s already frenzied determination to bring the killer to justice will be catapulted into obsession—one that could send her spiraling over the edge."

In Lynda La Plante's 2nd book in her Prime Suspect series A Face in the Crowd,  Jane Tennison has to deal not only with her male colleagues distrust but also their blatant racism. During a conference she becomes intimate with a black detective, Robert Oswalde and is put on the spot when he is transferred to her department to help out with the current investigation.  He goes overboard and a young man kills himself while in custody.   Tennison has to work hard to ferret out the facts from fiction all the while dealing with her commander's political aspirations. Tennison isn't necessarily a likable character, however the point makes itself throughout that she doesn't care if she is liked, just respected.  You have to respect her tenacity and brains.

A Face in the Crowd is well written with 3 dimensional characters and  the frustration, the tension of the story is palpable.  Highly recommend reading the books in order.  Thank you to TLC book tours for asking me to be part of the tour, Harper publishing for providing me with a copy of the books and Lynda La Plante for writing such an interesting series.  Check out the other tour stops to find out what others thought of the story. The tour runs through the end of March.   I'll be reviewing the 3rd book Silent Victims on March 13th.