Ultimate Obsession by Dai Henley
Ex-DCI Andy Flood has been a Private Investigator for some time now, and he should be doing quite well financially. Unfortunately, his daughter's defence against a murder charge drained his savings. His wife, Laura, has been trying to persuade him to retire - maybe go travelling or go on cruises. That's what 'ordinary people do', He's not been entirely up front about the state of their savings. When Jack Durban tries to persuade him to take his case, it's the thought of the money he could make that convinces him that this is a miscarriage of justice that he really should put right.
| Ultimate Obsession by Dai Henley | |
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| Category: Crime | |
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Reviewer: Sue Magee
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| Summary: A cracking and very satisfying end to a great series. Recommended. | |
| Buy? Yes | Borrow? Yes |
| Pages: 264 | Date: September 2025 |
| Publisher: New Generation | |
| External links: Author's website | |
| ISBN: 978- | |
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Durban was a police officer for eighteen years until he was convicted of the murder of another officer's wife. Sophie was expecting his baby and he wanted her to leave Alex Williamson, but she refused. Matters came to a head one night outside the pub: Durban hit Sophie, breaking her nose. She was never seen again, and - despite her body never being found - Durban was convicted of her murder. He's convinced that Alex Williamson murdered his wife when he discovered that she was carrying Durban's child and then set Durban up for eighteen years in prison. Durban's out now - and he wants justice. He has the money to pay for it.
When Gemma's released from prison - she killed her abusive husband - she goes to work for her father. There aren't that many jobs going for killers. Initially, she's against taking on Durban's case, but he's a charmer, and it's not long before she falls under his spell.
It's a brave author who makes most of his major characters unlikeable. Even after his release, Durban has no contrition about what happened to Sophie: I lost my temper and hit her, that's all. He learned a few tricks to get his release, but it's obvious it was all an act. Gemma's cold and self-centred. She seems to have learned nothing from what she's been through. Even Andy Flood has little thought for anything but his obsessions, and the promises he makes to Laura are easily forgotten. She understands what his job requires of him - she's ex-police herself - but she's reached her limit.
I really couldn't see how this one was going to turn out. Flood needs the money, but he's got serious doubts about his client. He knows that Gemma is vulnerable, but he can't persuade her that Durban has been anything other than badly done by, and he just keeps hoping that Laura will give him one more chance. I read Ultimate Obsession far more quickly than I intended, desperate to find out what happened. I wasn't disappointed.
I'd like to thank the publisher for sending a copy of the book to the Bookbag. It was a stunning ending to a cracking series.
You could read Ultimate Obsession as a standalone - that's true of all the books in the series - but you will get more out of each book if you read them in chronological order.
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