Simon Serrailer's story began in "The Various Haunts of Men" (about a serial killer against a background of alternative medicine) and continued with "The Pure in Heart" (about a kidnapped schoolboy against a background of the 'innocence' of children and the handicapped). Susan Hill is not afraid to tackle difficult issues, nor to face up to the realities of stress in a busy police station. Her third crime novel, "The Risk of Darkness", equally compulsive and convincing, follows up the child abduction and explores the crazy grief of a widowed husband, a derangement which turns to obsession and threats, violence and terror. Meanwhile, handsome, introverted Simon Serrailler, whose cool reserve has broken the hearts of several women, finds his own heart troubled by a feisty female priest with red hair..."The Risk of Darkness" is packed with action and adventure. Like "Various Haunts", it hinges on a terrific twist which comes as a complete surprise to the reader; and like "The Pure in Heart", it deals in depth with complex daily problems.