Black Out

A dog drops part of a human arm at a boy’s feet. In wartime London, a detective with Russian roots looks into murders. He also seeks people who have gone missing without a trace. This is his hardest case. He struggles with his loyalty to the country he serves. The victims are German and Polish refugees. They work on a science team that seeks bold new ideas.

John Lawton’s crime novel mixes a murder case with wartime plots. Spies and secret ties make the search for truth hard. So do women who pose a threat. The killer plans each step to keep from getting caught. This adds to the risk of more deaths.

This edition forms part of the Noir Masters series. Iulia Dromereschi is the book’s translator.