Night Train — Martin Amis

New York Detective Mike Hoolihan is called to the scene of an apparent suicide.

Mike is a woman with a nicotine voice, dyed blond hair and is an alcoholic who had been abused by her father.

The victim is Jennifer Rockwell, who Mike had known since Jenn was a little girl. Jenn is the daughter of Mike's former boss, Col. Tom Rockwell who is as close to a father figure to Mike as is possible.

After viewing the body, Mike speculates that Jenn did commit suicide but when she tells Tom, he can't accept it and asks Mike to take a second look.

The medical report is that there were multiple bullets in Jenn. Could her finger have frozen when she pulled the trigger? Why would this seemingly happy, well adjusted, attractive woman commit suicide? Why isn't there a suicide note? These are the questions that Mike must answer before completing her investigation.

The author has given us a unique character in Mike. Martin Amis must have been in a mischevous mood when he was creating Mike's characteristics.

I was drawn into the story as it went along and found it quite delightful.