D.C. Natalie Kershaw is about to join the Murder squad, but first she has to clear up the case of the un identified man who fell from the top of a skyscraper and died. Janusz Kiszka is a long time Polish emigre, and troubleshooter for Poles in London. He and Natalie have met before, in the first book of the series, and his focus is on finding out who murdered his close friend Jim – and why.
As the plot develops, it is clear that their cases intertwine and each finds the other useful, though limiting the amount of information they are prepared to share..
Meanwhile, Natalie is about to move in with her puppy-eyed policeman sergeant boyfriend, Ben, but she’s finding it hard to shake off her misgivings; misgivings which turn into terrible doubts as she moves in, only to turn around and go straight back out after she discovers something that shakes her belief in him and what he stands for.
Death Can’t take a Joke is the first of Anya Lipska’s books that I have read, but it certainly won’t be the last. Well plotted, nicely stranded together and with flawed but likeable central characters, I look forward to reading more of this series. Thanks to Netgalley for a review copy of this book.
Live and Deadly 