I have read close to a dozen books by Michael Robotham, and have enjoyed many of them (particularly the Joseph O’Loughlin series), so I was happy to receive a copy of When You Are Mine from Scribner and NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
The female protagonist in this psychological thriller is an officer with the Metropolitan Police in London. Philomena (“Phil”) McCarthy is called out on a domestic violence situation where she meets a woman named Tempe Brown, who is a victim of her married boyfriend — who happens to be a detective with Scotland Yard. As she tries to get Tempe to safety and to ensure there are consequences for the creepy boyfriend, she meets resistance from police, who are unlikely to take the word of a woman who isn’t totally reliable. In addition, Phil has a family that isn’t going to win any friends on the police: her father and uncles run a criminal enterprise, and Phil has tried NOT to be affiliated with them or their “business” as she pursues her career goals in law enforcement.
As usual, Robotham is incredibly good at creating characters we feel like we KNOW, particularly Phil. There are complex situations and relationships as Phil explores the case involving Tempe Brown, wrestles with her conflicted feelings about her family (especially her father), and moves ahead with her plans to marry her boyfriend Henry. 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.