Another day, another murder.
As always, Inspector Mislan steals the spotlight. He is a maverick detective who doesn't exactly play by the rules and that's what makes him such an interesting protagonist.
This time, the body of a woman is found at a playground. According to her record, she was arrested three years earlier for drug possession while working as a GRO. During the autopsy, the pathologist discovers something far more disturbing. A fetus had been removed from the deceased, but not through a clinical C-section. The case is dubbed Posthumous Child. It is obvious that something far more sinister is driving the killer.
The victim had an estranged relationship with her family and her social circle introduces a surprisingly long list of persons of interest. Just when the investigation seems ready to disappear down a rabbit hole, the Head of D9 proposes another possibility by approaching the case through victimology. What if the motive is connected to black magic like kuman thong, anak kerak or kwai chai? The belief is that the spirit of an unborn child can be used to bring wealth, protection or even misfortune to others. It sounds a little far fetched, right? 🤢
Even though the pacing is a little slow, I still enjoyed how the story immerses us in the daily reality of law enforcement. There are endless paperwork, long stakeouts, procedural bureaucracy and plenty of forensic work. It feels much more grounded than Gerak Khas or CSI. 😅 I especially liked how the novel includes false alarm raids and operations that do not always go according to plan.
Mislan still carries a grudge against the hitman who shot him. That case remains open and it makes me even more eager to continue with Firebugs to see where it goes next.