Transfusion

This begins very differently from any of the previous books in the excellent series. Instead of finding retired Lancashire copper Henry being barman and barrista in his moorland pub, or helping his one-time colleagues chase villains around the mean backstreets of Blackpool, we are in Cyprus, where Viktor Bakshim, head of an Albanian crime syndicate has his lair in a heavily guarded mansion. He has, naturally, a bodyguard of muscled young men in black T-shirts, but his security on the island is further enhanced by the Cypriot authorities' determination (thanks to wads of used Euros) to "see no ships.."

Bakshim is old and frail, and his body is pretty much shutting down one function at a time, like shops on a run-down town centre. At the heart of his operation is his ruthless and resourceful daughter Sofia, and she looms large as the plot develops.

The problem for the wider authorities - including the CIA, FBI and MI6 - is that Bakshim is dead. At least, he is supposed to be. It seems, however, that a co-ordinated hit on the ageing villain was foiled by crafty switching of personnel between the Land Cruisers carrying him and his hoodlums. The DNA of all the deceased thugs has been established, except the most crucial one - Bakshim himself.

A shadowy operator called Flynn, a former colleague of Christie's, who now has connections to official intelligence agencies, is on Cyprus trying to establish what Bakshim - if he is indeed still alive - is up to. After a chase and a shoot-out, Flynn manages to evade the protective heavies, and heads out to sea with his girlfriend. Meanwhile, also on the island, American agent Karl Donaldson, with a little help from his friends in London's Metropolitan Police, has nabbed a Russian hitman called Sokolov - violent and brave, but none too bright - and wants to turn him for his own purposes.

Back in chilly England, Henry Christie is, once again, employed as a civilian consultant to his former employers, and is working with his new partner DS Debbie Blackstone on an historic - and grim - case of child sexual abuse. The case is harrowing, and there are no easy days, but at least there are no bullets flying. This all changes when the ultra-violent world of Albanian gangland comes to Lancashire. When the Bakshims visit a  British criminal who has been working hand in hand with them, they find that their man in the UK has grown greedy, and is demanding a bigger slice of the cake. Bad move. All hell breaks loose.

Sofia has employed a violently competent hitman known as The Tradesman, a psychopath whose business front is running a crematorium for deceased pets. While Viktor and his daughter are spirited away from the carnage, The Tradesman goes on  a murderous spree that leaves the Lancashire cops reeling and struggling to make sense of what is going on. Henry Christie gets caught up in the bloodbath, but remains physically unscathed. His heart (the metaphorical one) however, takes a severe hit as, yet again, his romantic illusions are shattered. This happens very publicly, and in a humiliating fashion, but the heartache doesn't prevent him - almost accidentally - cracking the case wide open as he investigates an apparently trivial case of card fraud involving his pub.

In the aftermath, Flynn and Donaldson decide that the Bakshims have done enough damage, and are determined to act "off the books" and kill them. In a delicious twist, however - and I'll stop there, because the ending is just too good for me to spoil things. Nick Oldham delivers the goods again with violence and mayhem sufficient to satisfy the most demanding reader, but - best of all - we have another outing for the most endearing of English fictional coppers. Henry Christie is frequently bowed, but never, ever broken. Transfusion is published by Severn House and is out now.

Know that you won't see Henry Christie and Debbie Blackstone for a good stretch in this twisty and violent, but well crafted novel. Henry Christie is supposed to be retired and running a pub but that's not as interesting or as important as helping DS Debbie Blackstone on a repulsive case involving the abuse of children. The problem is that a turf war between the aging Albanian crime lord Viktor Bakshim, his daughter Sofia and a host of other bad guys is looking large. And then there are the law enforcement and intelligence personnel. it will be no spoilers to readers of this genre that trafficking figures in this latest in the long running series but Oldham has put a new spin on it and his characters as terrific. Thanks to Netgalley for the ARC. A fast paced read that will be fine as a standalone.

I always look forward to reading a Henry Christie book. They are part police procedural and part action thriller. The only problem I have is not finishing it too quick!
This one starts with Steve Flynn ( the character from the author's other series ). He and his girlfriend Molly are sailing in his boat around Ibiza. He gets a call from an FBI agent, an old friend, to say that he thinks an Albanian gang boss is still alive and not killed as they thought.
Viktor Bashkim's body is ageing and ailing. His eldest son was killed by the FBI. His youngest son Nico is a playboy. It is his daughter Sofia who will take over the family business. They have joined with a Russian gang and have a hideaway in a remote villa on the island of Cyprus.
Steve travels to the island to see if he can confirm that Bashkim is alive. However father and daughter have flown to England for a meeting.
Henry is still working as a civilian support in the Lancashire Cold Case unit run by the prickly Debbie. He is worried that his relationship with Diane is faltering she is spending more time at her Lancaster flat.
The Tawny Owl Pub. is closed because of the pandemic but serves takeaways. It is while waiting for Debbie to pick him up that he videos deer coming into the village. In the video unwittingly he captures a van driven by an associate of the Bashkims. He later takes Henry by surprise and takes his phone with the video. That could mean the Bashkims are meeting nearby? What are they up to?
Very violent in places and you can't put the book down for long. Very highly recommended. I eagerly look forward to the next one.

Transfusion by Nick Oldham.
Viktor Bashkim, head of one of Europe's most feared mafia gangs, is preparing to hand over power to his ruthless daughter, Sofia. But as they leave the family villa high in the Cypriot hills for business overseas, Viktor's old nemesis is watching . . .
In Lancashire, retired detective superintendent turned civilian investigator Henry Christie is assisting the Cold Case Unit with Operation Sparrow Hawk, investigating historic child abuse and murder kick-started by the arrests made in his last chilling case. But as Henry and his colleague DS Debbie Blackstone close in on a lead, they suddenly find themselves embroiled in a brutal, blood-soaked turf war between organized crime gangs in Europe, the fallout of which will be felt across the genteel country lanes of northern England.
I did enjoy this book. I do like this author. 4*.

Even it its' not my favorite in this series, it's a gripping and entertaining story that kept me hooked.
There's a change of scenery, European organized crime gangs, and a lot of action.
The author deliver a story that kept you on the edge, interesting characters, and a solid plot.
Recommended.
Many thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for this ARC, all opinions are mine