I was recently on a panel during a crime festival with Jackie Baldwin. She is a bestselling Scottish crime writer and I was thrilled to have an opportunity to discuss Dead Man’s Prayer with her. I have always found her main character, Frank Farrell a most interesting one and it was interesting to learn more about him from the author herself.
The Blurb
A dark and gripping crime debut, the first in an exciting new series. Eighteen years ago, DI Frank Farrell turned his back on the church. But when an ex-priest is murdered in his hometown, he has no choice but to delve into his past. Perfect for fans of Stuart MacBride, James Oswald and Val McDermid.
The Review
The author creates a most interesting main character in Frank Farrell: he was formerly a priest but, having left the priesthood has become a police detective. This in itself marks Baldwin’s series out from other police procedurals in the field.
Dead Man’s Prayer takes the reader through the investigation of a priest’s murder and combines this with the kidnapping of twin boys. Considering the chequered past of the main character the author sets herself a challenge and a gripping story for her readers.
Personally, I especially like Farrell as a main character. He stands out as unique amongst the many detectives that are written about in crime fiction. Farrell’s priesthood background and faith adds another dimension to this novel. I also enjoyed Mhaire and thought she made the perfect foil for Farrell.
I thoroughly enjoyed this book and plan to read the rest of the series. I highly recommend Dead Man’s Prayer.
The Author
Jackie Baldwin was born in Dumfries. She studied law at Edinburgh University returning to Dumfries to practice criminal and family law for the next twenty years. During that time she married and had two children and a variety of pets. She later retrained as a hypnotherapist. Her DI Frank Farrell series is set in Dumfries and Galloway in SW Scotland. She has recently moved closer to Edinburgh.
Val Penny