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Comparing a new writer to John Grisham or Jeffery Deaver isn't much of a pull for me. I can take or leave Grisham, whilst Deaver appears to be phoning them in now, as I understand the Americans say. But I hope David Hosp is going to provide them with some serious rivalry in future. Hosp is a lawyer, and his debut novel, DARK HARBOUR, is a dark, compelling story which I devoured in two days. Don't be put off by the serial killer plot if you're as bored with that angle as I am. There are a lot of strands there -- serial killer, terrorism, legal intrigue -- and Hosp keeps you guessing as to how they will be resolved. Boston lawyer Scott Finn has done well to pull himself up by his bootstraps. He's a street kid-turned-potential partner in a prestigious law firm. But he finds himself in deep trouble when his colleague Natalie Caldwell is fished out of the harbour. Scott and Natalie were ex-lovers, and he was the last person to see her alive. It looks like Natalie was the seventh victim of serial killer Little Jack. But as Scott inherits a high-profile case involving a terrorist attack on a packed commuter train that Natalie was working on, he soon begins to wonder if her death had anything to do with that case. The police investigation is being carried out by detectives Linda Flaherty and Tom Kozlowski. They find their efforts are being hampered by the big-wigs above who are turning the case into a political football. Hosp's inside knowledge about law and law firms is obvious, but he doesn't overwhelm you with it. The characters are believable as well, although I could have done without the cliched and OTT police chief. Linda and Finn are good creations, but my personal favourite was the seen-it-all maverick Kozlowski, Linda's unorthodox sidekick. DARK HARBOUR is a thoroughly engrossing debut and a rattling good read. I'm hoping it might just be the first in a new series.
Reviewed by Sharon Wheeler, July 2005
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Contact: Yvonne Klein (ymk@reviewingtheevidence.com)
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