A Killing in November: The Sunday Times Crime Book of the Month (DI Wilkins Mysteries)

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There’s also the posh, privileged cop too who’s prejudiced about this partnership till he realised just how vulnerable and genius is Ryan. Ryan Wilkins was raised in a trailer park, had a violent alcoholic father, his girlfriend died of a drug overdose and left him with a young son. As a young Detective Inspector, he's lost none of his disgust with privileged elites - or his objectionable manners.

This is such a brilliant, compelling, gripping and thrilling book, that as soon as I had it in my hands I had to read it. He is teamed in an inspired piece of writing with Ray, the other Wilkins, who is Oxford educated, a boxing blue and completely the opposite of Ryan.

The Oxford college setting is perfect for Ryan's first outing, emphasising his otherness and setting him up in belligerent opposition to the forces of tradition and establishment. Honestly if you loved inspector Morse books, a flawed and poor and tough genius police officer this book is one for you, it’s almost like Morse has reversed into a young tough chap, with a past that is brutal and trying to make sure his kid lives the best life he can. Their first murder investigation occurs at St Barnabas's College in the Provos’s office and the contrasting Wilkins’ style causes much grief and makes for a riveting read.

Two DIs share a family name, a first name initial and an office in the Oxford police force but nothing else.And too many pages at the end are taken up by a rather breathless rush through tying up the loose ends. He is too brash, too uncontrollable for me to believe that he ever managed to graduate from police college, let alone made it to DI by age 27. As you might imagine, Ray and Ryan have little in common, chalk and cheese, and initially struggle to get on, but slowly they begin to form a bond, Ryan might well be a wild card, but he notices details and is able to make breaks in a complex and intriguing case, where it takes some time to identify the murdered woman, and which involves a valuable stolen Koran, and another death. Having two fast tracked Detective Inspectors named R Wilkins is unusual but their partnering is inspired. These two could not be more different and this is what makes “A Killing in November” such a great read.