The Take    by Graham Hurley Order:  USA  Can Orion, 2002 (2001) Hardcover, Paperback     Reviewed by Hilary Williamson This is a police procedural, one of a series starring DI Joe Faraday, set in Portsmouth, England. Faraday's detectives are on the trail of someone who exposes himself to women, while wearing a Mickey Mouse mask. They also search for a missing (possibly murdered) gynaecologist, with a history of botched operations. While overseeing their work, Faraday pursues a hot relationship in his personal life, and adjusts to a new assistant while attempting to find out who caused the accident that killed his previous one. DC Paul Winter, one of the old guard and always willing to bend the rules, suddenly finds out that his wife is dying of cancer. Infuriated by the cold fashion in which the specialist informed them of her situation, he takes out a personal vendetta against the missing gynaecologist, who butchered his own patients for many years. In the meantime, DC Dawn Ellis and her gay partner Rick Stapleton find a suspect for the Mickey Mouse exposures all too easily. Dawn's stubborn persistence uncovers much more beneath the surface investigation. In both investigations and in the progress of Faraday's personal life, things are not as they initially appear, and this competent British procedural unveils many surprises for fans of good mysteries. Note: Opinions expressed in reviews and articles on this site are those of the author(s) and not necessarily those of BookLoons. Find more Mystery books on our Shelves or in our book Reviews