Jack-in-the-box

Who killed theatre director Max Quincey during a run of the play Jack in the Box in London’s West End? Who killed the male prostitutes back in 1985, when the show was last performed and when Max was the star? What is the significance of the Jack in the Box doll found with the body, the markings on its eyes matching mutilations to Max’s face, and identical to the toys found with each of the original victims? Has the killer returned? Is it a copycat? Or a revenge slaying for the rent boy murders when Max was prime suspect? The questions are stacking up for DCI Yvonne ‘Von’ Valenti, and her partner, DI Steve English, as she races against the clock to unravel a tangled web of clues, lies and halftruths, to catch a deranged killer before they strike again. Von investigates both cases simultaneously as she battles with a wall of silence and increasingly fractured relationships with the Chief Super and her journalist boyfriend, Kenny. Jack in the Box is the brilliant, explosive debut from newcomer Hania Allen, the first in what is certain to become an utterly unforgettable crime series.