Tension and waters rise The effects of heavy floods caused by changing weather patterns are only too well known to residents of some parts of Yorkshire. The chaos and misery caused by floods even worse than those of the last few years provide the backdrop to John Bakers latest crime novel, The Meanest Flood. York is Bakers place of residence, it is also the home and place of work for Sam Turner, the private detective and principal character in this and five of Bakers previous novels. Sam, a recovering alcoholic, has suffered bad luck and hardship throughout his life and has arrived at a point where he expects trouble and very often finds it. A small band of friends and colleagues help him in his struggle to make sense of the world. Among their number is Angeles, Sams latest love, who just might provide him with a chance of happiness. However, her life and Sams are threatened by an adversary who is determined to destroy Sams past and his future. Sam is implicated in the murders of two of his former lovers, and both tension and water levels rise in York as he and his friends begin the battle to clear his name and prevent the murderer from killing again. Appraisal This book is very far from being a cosy, body in the library crime novel. Sam Turners surroundings, his lifestyle, even his thoughts, are depressing. Baker succeeds in conveying horror, fear and a sense of awful inevitability in his graphic and chilling description of the murders. This considered look at human weakness is saved from being thoroughly depressing by the authors deft insertions of humour and tiny glimpses of hope. The author manipulates emotions through his clever changes of pace and tight plot. But the novel is more than a plot-driven thriller. Bakers strength lies in his characterisation. His use of humour and natural dialogue brings a sense of reality to the relationships and he allows his main characters an inner-life, giving the reader a chance to consider both motivation and mitigation. Baker includes a disclaimer, suggesting that the places named in the novel "owe as much to the imagination as to the physical reality". Still, the description of York under flood is realistic enough to give residents a sense of unease at the next heavy downpour. Commendation The Meanest Flood may not be a comfortable bedtime read, but it is a gripping addition to John Bakers Sam Turner series. Reviewer: Suzanne High Is your favourite book reviewed in these pages? If not, get your slate and chalk to work, and make yourself and your best book part of the Book Club! Write a review. | 
