Publication Date July 1, 2025

Michael Robotham’s  When You Are Mine (2021), featured Philomena (“Phil”) McCarthy, an officer with the Metropolitan Police in London. When I read and reviewed that terrific novel,  I noted that the “… plot is strong, and I came away hoping for more stories about Phil, her family, and her career. Stephen King calls Robotham “an absolute master,” and I’m inclined to agree on this one. Five stars.” The followup to that one, The White Crow, is another 5-star winner featuring the adventures of Phil, and it’s terrific!

Phil is still a police officer in London, and still a puzzle to her mobster family, including her father Edward and her many uncles, all of whom seem to have good hearts, although their “career paths” are totally at odds with Phil’s. 

One of the intertwined stories in this novel involves the McCarthy “family business” and the way it is being hassled by Bulgarian bad guys. While that is going on, Phil is investigating the death of a woman during a home invasion that included the robbery of a ton of jewelry…and of course both stories intersect. 

Robotham is a master at creating characters that the reader feels they know and care about, including the McCarthys, Phil’s husband Henry, a firefighter, and Phil’s  boss, DCI Keegan. And the plot is so good it keeps the reader completely invested and curious. As usual, I didn’t guess the end (generally true for me, I admit) and, while it is part of a series, it is NOT necessary to have read the first book to appreciate this one. Five stars, once again, for Robotham. Thanks to Scribner and NetGalley for providing a copy in exchange for my honest review.