Slip of the Knife Denise Mina Little Brown $24.99 HC Feb. 08

Paddy Meehan's family and friends are important to her. Her life turns around them and her work as a newspaper reporter. When the police inform her that her ex (stress the ex) boyfriend, fellow reporter, Terry Hewitt has been found murdered she begins a little poking around, but gets distracted by other stories and family problems. It's not until she hears from Terry's lawyer that she's been left his papers and his estate that she is able to see Terry in a new light and start putting pieces together to discover who really killed him and why.

Ms. Mina is a sure handed and confident writer. Her low keyed, hard boiled plotline is tailor made Tartan Noir. Paddy and her city are perfect counterfoils. Slip of the Knife is a fairly quick read with an easy, realistic flow. The plot line comes together just as naturally. Nothing seems forced or so dependent on "action" that the readers credulity is ever strained. Put Slip of the Knife on the must-read pile to start the new year right.

Dave Biemann