BABEL is set in the south east of London, around an ex polytechnic, now the University of East London, in Docklands. The brutal murder of the university's professor of philosophy is headline news and DCI Brock is brought in to investigate. The university campus is home to many students drawn from the large and varied ethnic communities of south east London. When it becomes clear that the motive for murder may be political and the murderer a Muslim, the public is outraged. Following her terrifying experiences in SILVERMEADOW, DC Kathy Kolla is on leave, so burned out that she's considering leaving the force for good. But you can't keep a good detective down and soon she's on the phone to Brock asking to be put on the case ... The construction of this detailed, intricate plot is a joy - as ingenious as Colin Dexter. It's a complex, rich and intelligent novel and will surely bring Brock and Kolla to a wider, appreciative readership.