In Murder of a Runaway, Book 5 in the Inspector Sheehan Mysteries series, Brian O’Hare gives us another fast-paced, nail-biting investigation by Inspector Sheehan’s Belfast Serious Crimes Unit. Whereas the first two books in the series were told from a narrative perspective closely aligned with one of the characters, this story launches multiple plot lines narrated from several angles, equal parts thriller and police procedural. There is an initial murder that leads the team into the dark underworld of human trafficking, but at the same time we see the vantage point of different victims as they either are lured into or try to escape from the system. O’Hare has done his research, and although the story remains focused on Northern Ireland, the victims come from Eastern Europe and as far away as China. Sheehan’s investigators find themselves dealing with two different trafficking rings: one that caters to a corrupt, wealthy clientele, and one seedy, low-class version. Sheehan’s team gets involved in rescuing girls who were imported into the country packed into shipping crates. But the luxury escort service that they find themselves up against is even more sinister, with a sophisticated grooming network operating from a college campus and targeting foreign students. When these two organizations start to turn against each other, Sheehan’s team tries to make the most of the situation. They get some help from a resourceful young man who was duped by traffickers and finds himself serving as a modern slave in a downtown restaurant.

The narrative adroitly shifts between the points of view of both investigators and trafficking victims, with the result that the reader gets to know some of the victims and sympathize with them. However, despite some heart-wrenching moments, the overall tone of the series continues to be relatively lighthearted, in that the emotional center of the story remains with the members of the Serious Crimes unit, who are able to maintain a sense of humor and an optimistic attitude throughout. None of the victims with whom the reader comes to sympathize is killed. The ones whose stories we follow are rescued, and they bounce back to happiness with perhaps more resilience than is strictly realistic. The worst events are implied rather than depicted directly, and there are no graphic descriptions of sexual encounters. The psychology and dilemmas of the young people who find themselves lured into slavery are presented convincingly, with allowances for sheer stupidity, naïveté and ignorance. O’Hare likes sweet romances, and there are a few in this narrative that balance out the sordid world of trafficking with the stark contrast of characters motivated by love and capable of self-sacrifice. Along the way, the twists and turns of the plot maintain a satisfying suspense. If you like your mystery-thrillers to have enough realism and seriousness to be gripping, but you don’t want to lie awake at night disturbed by visions of horror, this book is an excellent choice. It would make a great addition to that summer beach bag!