Back in 2018, I read Bad to the Bone, the first book in the DI Bliss series and it introduced me to characters who immediately became some of my most enduring favourites. Each book since has thrilled, amused and moved me and Tony J. Forder has been a permanent fixture on my top books of the year list. The Stonemason's Song is the fourteenth full-length novel in the series and finds Jimmy Bliss nearing the end of his tumultuous career in law enforcement.
Despite having retired from the police force, Bliss has continued working with his old team at Thorpe Wood as a civilian Senior Investigating Officer and also heads up an unsolved investigations team. His transition to life without a warrant card hasn't been without its challenges, particularly regarding his relationships with some of his new cold case colleagues but in many ways, it has been business as usual. It's not surprising therefore, that he should approach his new cases with his customary mix of determination, and disregard for his own safety. However, as the novel progresses, he is forced to truly consider the consequence of his actions and to realise what really matters to him.
When the body of a man with a chisel embedded in his skull is discovered in a flyover support, Bliss is immediately reminded of the strong similarities with another unsolved case. A year earlier, the team had investigated the brutal murder of a man found with a large metal compass in the side of his head but despite suspecting a link to freemasonry, the operation had made little headway and only remained nominally open. This second case, though, ensures the potential links to Masonic mythology are inescapable. Bliss is no fan of the Masons and makes his feelings clear but still manages to learn more about Masonic rituals when he questions the Master Mason from a local Lodge. The Masons have often been viewed as a secretive, rather ridiculous group in this country, but Tony J. Forder's portrayal is more even-handed, with a detailed and fair explanation of their belief system – especially the moral significance of the tools which connect masons with the work of the stonemasons centuries ago. This insight into their history is fascinating and adds an intriguing, chilling element to the story.
Meanwhile, the Unsolved Cases Team have been asked to reinvestigate the murder of a private investigator, Hugh Stolly. The original operation had been unsuccessful but had come to the attention of Bliss's team after the original SIO put in a request for them to run a full review. They've reached the point where they too have accepted their own investigation was unlikely to result in any significant new leads. However, a last-ditch radio appeal unexpectedly reaches a woman who contacts the team with important new information that changes everything – for the case and for Bliss himself.
There's a clever juxtaposition between the two separate investigations here; the Major Crime Unit current operation requires them to look into decades-old missing persons cases, while Jimmy inadvertently stumbles upon a modern organised crime link when he heads up to London chasing a lead in his cold case. Both find Bliss at his best and worst and the line between his strengths and flaws is thinner than ever here. He is undoubtedly principled and courageous, albeit sometimes foolishly so, but some of his decisions here risk other investigations, infuriate some of his colleagues and put his own life in serious danger. Meanwhile, a previous case has also brought him into the crosshairs of a bitter, powerful man with a grudge.
As always his relationships with his colleagues is a highlight of the book; his friendship with Penny Chandler – now an acting Detective Inspector is still the source of most of the humour in the novel, although Beth Greenhill from the Unsolved Cases Team also takes great delight in winding him up. He still manages to annoy some people, of course but this older Bliss has mellowed over the years and although he still maintains a flexible attitude towards correct procedure in his pursuit of justice, he reacts more thoughtfully to criticism in the past and owns up to his failings.
As much as Bliss and Chandler have been a superb double act, the most touching relationship is arguably that between Jimmy and Molly, the young woman he rescued a few years ago and who has remained an important part of his life. Her transformation has been a vital part of the series, and her merciless teasing of Jimmy is touchingly tempered by her obvious love and concern for him. Bliss is tested like never before here, both physically and emotionally and eventually has to decide what matters most. The decision he comes to is equally heartbreaking and hopeful and ultimately sums up the man Jimmy Bliss is.
The Stonemason's Song is everything a police procedural should be and more; a thrilling, compulsive read full of tension, shocks, laughter and heart, with a conclusion that left me with tears running down my face. Very highly recommended.
The Stonemason's Song is published by Spare Nib Books and can be purchased here.
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