Flesh House by Stuart MacBride

Eight years ago, a serial killer made Aberdeen a terrified city.  He kidnapped couples from their houses, leaving behind copious amounts of blood, then took the couples to another location where he killed them and butchered the bodies.  'The Flesher' was captured and put in jail, only to be released eight years later on a legal technicality.

Now, butchered bodies are showing up again, and the human flesh has made it's way into the human food chain as human remains are found in a butcher shop.  The men who found The Flesher the first time aren't all available; some have retired or been taken off the force for illness.   This time, DS Logan McRae is put on the case along with DI Insch, who was one of the prime investigators last time around.  He is convinced the man they caught and put in jail eight years ago is the same killer this time around, and is determined to catch him and put him back in jail.  As the investigation veers into a personal vendetta against the police, they are given even more of a motive to catch the killer and end the mayhem.

This is the fourth DS Logan McRae novel and fans of Stuart MacBride will rejoice in another case that features him.  As always, the action is non-stop.  It is a great police procedural, showing the ins and outs of the investigation, the hardship of the police career, and the everyday trials and tribulations a policeman has.  McRae has that spark of investigative genius that allows him to see through the routine to the solution, and the ability to do the hard work that breaks crime mysteries.  This book is recommended for mystery lovers.