Police sergeant Geraint Butler, of the traffic unit, said: "Our thoughts remain with the family and friends of the man who very sadly died.

The narration has the simple momentum of classic crime writing, heavy on lit cigarettes, light on subordinate clauses. When the deceased's rather attractive wife suggests that the crash may not have been an accident, Gorski looks closer into Barthelme's circumspect movements on the night of his death. Character’s back stories go into pivotal points in their life, which gives us a full picture of who they are and why. Macrae Burnet becomes a character himself, that comments on and critiques the work, which to some extent, absolves him of the responsibility for any of it’s flaws. Macrae paints a masterly picture of small town life, the disappointments, bar brawls, angst, humiliations, teenage sexual forays, social class, disintegrating marriages, secrets and petty behaviours that typify the everyday in Saint Louis for the main characters.This is a slow building character driven story, not a plot driven crime story with tension and suspense.

Short sketches of people who appear only for moments in a café or on the street all add to the understanding of the culture, which in turn adds to our understanding of how it has formed and shaped our main characters, Raymond and Gorski. We and our partners use technologies, such as cookies, and collect browsing data to give you the best online experience and to personalise the content and advertising shown to you.

The horror collision of a BMW and Land Rover Discovery Sport on the A35 in Devon has resulted in the death of a young girl and serious injures for a second child.