The Promised Land by Barry Maitland

Publisher's Synopsis

Newly promoted Detective Chief Inspector Kathy Kolla investigates a series of brutal murders on Hampstead Heath. Under intense pressure to find answers, she arrests the unlikely figure of Charles Pettigrew, a failing London publisher who lives alone on the edge of the Heath.

Pettigrew's lawyer calls on recently retired David Brock for advice, and soon, unable to resist the pull of investigation, the old colleagues, Brock and Kolla, are at loggerheads.

At the heart of the gripping mystery of the Hampstead murders lies a manuscript of an unknown novel by one of the greatest literary figures of the twentieth century. Brock believes that its story will unlock the puzzle, but how?

My Review of The Promised Land by Barry Maitland

The Promised Land is the 13th book in the Brock and Kolla series and demonstrates why Barry Maitland has consistently been one of the most popular crime authors in Australia. This mature series comfortably sits as a great example of the value of a well constructed plot, strongly described characters and an endless supply of twists. 

A woman is found beaten to death on Hampstead Heath. She’s the second woman to be murdered in this way in 5 days and Kathy Kolla, now a Detective Chief Inspector, is on the scene to work the case.

Brock is now retired but is more than a little bored, finding it difficult to adjust to the new change of pace. So being asked by a defense attorney to interview a murder suspect is a little bit out of left field. His intrigue over the case is enough to get him over the line and into Belmarsh Prison to speak to the man and what he finds is another surprise.

A lost George Orwell manuscript is enough to spark excitement among book publishers and when the first couple of pages are presented as proof of the work, titled The Promised Land, it’s enough to consider spending big money on securing the rights. 

Publisher Charles Pettigrew is interested but cautious, but before he can take his interest very far he finds himself arrested for the Hampstead Heath murders and more. The quiet, unassuming man appears to be an unlikely killer but then, the evidence gathered by Kolla is compelling.

As a long time fan and reader of the series I was delighted to find that important aspects of the Silvermeadow case is revisited in the course of the investigation. It’s been awhile but this particular book stuck with me longer than many of the others and it has clearly been significant in the careers of Brock and Kolla too. The fact that it’s kind of used as a sting in the tail for the police detectives makes it even more significant.

The George Orwell side of the mystery is a fascinating one with plenty of interesting facts about the author, both his writing and personal life. It’s not hard to get caught up in the possibility that an unknown manuscript may have been discovered, one that would supposedly close off a trilogy starting with Animal Farm and Nineteen Eighty-Four.

There’s something reassuring about the cool, steady head of David Brock when he puts his mind to investigating crimes. He always seems to be in control, although there are times when that control is sorely tested and, retired or not, he demonstrates the innate talents that took him to the top of the detective pile.

Overall, there is some outstanding police detective work displayed here relying on good, old-fashioned grunt work bearing small results that grew into larger leads. It’s the kind of case where, when it explodes, you’re struggling to remember how we got to where we are, only to understand the inevitable progression of asking the right questions and understanding the answers. A real winner for crime fiction devotees.

Piled on top of the solid police work are a couple of humdingers of twists, most of which came out of left field and left me shaking my head in disbelief. The best kind of twists, to be sure.

Kathy Kolla has already had a distinguished career as a police detective who gets results. Now that her mentor has retired she continues to shine, albeit under a boss who’s a bit of a dick. Fortunately, the close friendship she formed with David Brock continues to yield results and we’re reaping the rewards with this series that remains strong and compelling.