Crime is a broad genre and at Crime Fiction Lover we are on top of all the trends. Cosy mysteries and high concept thrillers are both really big with readers at the moment, but there is so much more out there and always room for some darker fiction and a solid dose of noir always grounds us in reality.
Especially when, like Lele Adenle, there is more than a touch of humour, which lifts the tone at key moments. This can sometimes lead to a false sense of security followed by a gut punch, a bleak twist or sudden shock. Fall From Grace is the first in a new series which is set in London and features private detective Bobby Fatokun.
The story opens with Francis Mouland, who works at Clarence House. The former spy is now a private secretary to the King. He quite enjoys the job but he sometimes misses the spy life.
Among the usual pile of invitations to events and letters that Francis replies to on behalf of His Majesty is an odd message hinting that a scandal could ensue if a certain matter is not addressed and were to consequently become public knowledge. Though there is no real explanation of what the trouble is or what the consequences would be which leads the reader to guess.
The game is afoot. Francis is curious enough to visit the correspondent. Lawyer and pastor D’Don runs his own church and claims says a legal client has come to him with a video. A compromising video, which he is keeping safe. He doesn’t want to use it because he is a loyal subject. D’Don claims to spend all his time working for the Lord.
Francis then visits his old colleague John Quarrel at MI6. He brings him the letter in the hope that this might get him back into the service. Meanwhile, D’Don is training a chosen favourite, Kenny, for a special purpose. Quarrel follows up on the letter, also meeting D’Don. The pastor assures him he does not want any money, nonetheless he has some strange and outrageous requests.
Bobby Fatokan has a job with the Met retraining officers, reforming the corrupt, the incompetent, the racists. They call him the ‘Bad Coach.’ He is also a former police officer who lost his job in Nigeria. He went back there after previously fleeing with mother to come to Britain via Benin when he was a child. Bobby has dealt with a Met client, Roger Bainbridge. Normally once the training is over he never hears from clients again but Bainbridge calls him requesting an urgent meeting. Before that meeting can happens Bainbridge winds up dead. Why would he contact Bobby and then commit suicide?
Bobby investigates and soon discovers Bainbridge was working undercover at D’Don’s church. He wants answers but he’s not the only one. The pastor has managed to get on the wrong side of a powerful enemy and that spells trouble for Bobby too. A complex well crafted story follows.
Adenle brings his own elegant style to the story. As a number of threads are set in motion, the suspense builds before we get a handle on what is going on. There are twists and a few red herrings along the way. A handful of intriguing characters and bizarre, or slightly oddball situations are introduced before we piece together what is going on. Initially the characters are not easy to like or understand. Then we have Bobby, who we can take to, and he could become a favourite with readers.
London has a million stories sand this is fresh and original. It is pacy and witty, blending elements of spy, thriller and noir storytelling.
This has legs for a new series, it is populated with characters not usually seen in English crime fiction and is all the more intriguing for that. Not as instantly enjoyable as the Amara novels but it does grow on you.
Adenle’s Nigeria novels are brilliant and I would urge any lover of gritty crime to check them out. See our review of When Trouble Sleeps.
Simon & Schuster
Print/Kindle/iBook
£4.99
CFL Rating: 4 Stars
