It seems the drop in (admittedly not all-that-high-to-begin-with) standards I noticed in the sixth instalment was in fact the beginnings of slide downward that carries on in this book.

Not much more happens here in terms of detecting than in the previous book, but there is an added lack of subtly in the writing that I don't remember being that unsubtle(!) in the previous episodes. As a result it is difficult for the reader to trust what they are reading and in the impressions they get from it.

An author failing to generate trust in his readers from its lack of competency in the handling of his tools (words) is no doubt one of the cardinal sins in writing. The plot hangs together reasonably well but it's by no means exciting or thrilling. Craft also tries to incorporate a moral and ethical quandary to the narrative, which rather falls flat and feels manufactured and unconvincing in the way it unfolds for the main character.

Add to that a lacklustre story, and some blatant errors (such as the coroner blithely announcing that the victim died of a "snapped cervix - [they] broke [their] neck" (p148). "Cervical" does come for "cervix" but... never mind!) and one can help but be thankful that Craft appeared to have been aware of the series failings and decided to put an end to it with this last volume. Merciful for everyone involved.