Brief

When Harry Webster, a private investigator, arrives at his office, he finds a new client waiting for him. A woman searched for her boyfriend, who left town without prior notice while she was on holiday. He takes on the case and uncovers a shocking conspiracy. The missing man, an army veteran, is linked to a right-wing extremist group called The Crusaders and to a racist serial killer known as the White Devil. Webster finds himself a disposable component in a violent conflict between the group and his victim.

What We Liked

This is a detective action story, told in the first person, with various characters and an intriguing plot. As the narrative unfolds, it addresses timely and relevant themes, such as hate crimes, violence against women and minorities, and the rise of right-wing extremist movements around the globe. The central mystery is wrapped in a repulsive conspiracy theory, and it brings a terrifying prospect of a racist serial killer arising alongside toxic forms of white supremacy.

Film: There are good thrills and action scenes to explore as a movie, such as life-threatening situations, chasing events, and gunfights. Toward the end, the action takes place in a disused warehouse by a canal that runs through the city and provides a classic cinematic setting. The story also offers great insight into relevant themes and allows reflection about hate crimes, violence against minorities, and the rise of right-wing extremist movements around the globe.

TV: For a TV series, this narrative can be developed over several episodes to unfold the central mystery while exploring different characters and their own story. There are also good action-packed scenes to explore, especially at the end, when the main character is caught in a life-threatening situation. There are enough conflicts to fill more than one season.

Key points:
1. Plot twists
2. Relevant subjects
3. Conspiracy theory
4. Political thriller
5. Interesting and complex villains

Synopsis

Henry Webster works right next to Tommy Clegg's office as a private investigator. Arriving at his office on a winter Monday, Webster finds a new client waiting: Corinne Winfield. She is there on the recommendation of Jimmy Bell, junior partner of Watson, Graham and Bell (local firm of solicitors). She wants him to find her boyfriend, a man named Bryce Marsell. Three weeks after she returned from her winter break in France, he was nowhere to be found.

Webster decides to take on the case. Webster contacted Phil Berry, an old friend from university who works for the Fraud Section of the Department of Work and Pensions, to find out more about Mansell's past. He discovered Mansell had abruptly quit his old job at the Metro without any explanation.

In speaking with Mansell's sister, Laura Brennan, Webster discovered that Mansell was involved with a group called The Crusaders, described by Brennan as a right-wing party of "not nice people."

While Webster is working on Mansell’s case, another story is developing around the city: a racist serial killer known as the White Devil, who has been acting for over 3 years. The victims had been young Afro-Caribbean or Asian girls, been strangled, mutilated, and dumped naked in isolated areas.

To find out more about Mansell at the Metro, Webster spoke with some of his coworkers, but nobody had ever heard him speak of Corinne Winfield. Webster becomes suspicious of her but keeps the case. At Mansell’s work, his coworkers mentioned the name Rocky and that the Crusaders usually met at a pub called The Saracen's Head. Webster decides to go to the pub and casually asks about Mansell, pretending to know him. Rocky was there, and no one seemed to like Webster's questions, and the situation escalated.

Eventually, Clegg discovered that the Crusader leader was Colonel William Francis Lytton, who was about 70-ish. The group had been formed almost 30 years ago before as a union of militant members from two other groups called The Patriotic Forum and The Britannia League. The Crusaders were visualized as a medium for translating all the rhetoric into affirmative action.

Webster drives to Lytton's house, who was already familiar with Webster at that point. Lytton said that he didn't know and that Rocky tried to find Mansell, but he was unsuccessful.

During a new attempt to collect information from Laura Brennan, she admitted that she assisted Mansell in getting out of the city 4 weeks before. She shows Webster the direction to her private house where Mansell was hiding. From there, the action starts happening. Webster sees Mansell practicing running at the beach. A few hours later, when he goes to the house, he discovers that Mansell has run away and there are two dead men.

Webster then discovered that Corinne has a relationship with Lytton and wondered if she had been doing his bidding all along and hiring Webster as a pawn to find Mansell and set him up for the kill. Corinne finally admitted she was involved with Lytton and the group. It turns out, as well, that the White Devil is not one individual acting alone but is actually part of a group.

As Webster searches for Mansell, he finds himself caught in a violent conflict between The Crusaders and the Tamplers. The brutal events end in the death of the members, including Corinne. Rocky is still alive and chasing Webster, who killed him.

About The Author

John Seeley is a former librarian with over 30 years of experience as a script reader for a major publishing house. He is also the author of five novels featuring the private investigator Harry Webster.