The Business of Dying A Novel [Paperback]

It's a typical cold November night and Detective Sergeant Dennis Milne, a very atypical policeman, waits in the Traveller's Rest Hotel parking lot for the arrival of three men. Cynical and jaded, Milne earns money on the side by doing what he does best: punishing the bad guys. But this time he's been duped. Instead of blowing away drug dealers, he kills three innocent people, their deaths starting an investigation that sees him and his conscience heading for trouble.

Less than twelve hours later, Milne is out on the streets again. Eighteen-year-old Miriam Fox has been found dead by Regent's Canal---her throat slashed. Desperate to find Miriam's killer, Milne uncovers a web of depravity far more shocking than he could ever have imagined. Can he evade arrest for his own crimes and solve a case so sickening that it may provide the key to his personal redemption?

The clock is ticking and everyone's watching their backs as a war of morality is fought in the mind of one renegade policeman in this gripping first novel by a talented young crime writer.

[Kernick is] a writer to be reckoned with. ---Mark Billingham, bestselling author ofSleepyhead

Praise forThe Business of Dying

Gallows humor and a sardonic voice mark Kernick's remarkable debut. Pathos, pace, twists, and a savage sense of place make this a guilty pleasure. ---Guardian[U.K.]

Gripping and thought provoking, Kernick weaves his web with the assurance of a seasoned professional. ---Time Out[U.K.]

The crime debut of the year so far...Kernick tells it straight with no embellishments, which is exactly how I like my crime fiction. A prizewinner if ever I saw one. ---Independent on Sunday[U.K.]

An exquisitely tortuous piece of characterization that should challenge both author and readers in the books to come. ---The Times[U.K.]

An uncommonly assured first novel, quite brilliantly plotted...done with thelƒ%