Blood Substitute: A Patrick Gillard and Ingrid Langley Mystery

In British author Duffy's 12th mystery to feature husband-wife team Ingrid Langley and Patrick Gillard (after 2007's Cobweb ), the former MI5 agents now working for SOCA (the Serious and Organized Crime Agency) go in search of criminal Robert Kennedy, presumed long dead but apparently alive and, more disturbing, possibly connected to a series of ghastly gangland-style killings in which the initials “RK” are cut into the victims' bodies. As they get on the trail of the elusive Kennedy and a ruthless gang, Langley and Gillard begin to wonder if Kennedy himself might be a target. Duffy injects this crisp if sometimes too chatty police procedural with some great action scenes, including a wild horse ride for the newly pregnant Langley as she tries to evade her would-be killers. The author also nicely sets up the next installment with Gillard's sudden realization that maybe SOCA's not the only job he could pursue. (Dec.)