A pleasant enough police procedural centering on the eventual kidnapping of an Arab monarchs son. ( )

An oil sheik decides to send his young son to England to be educated at a posh private school. The police are called upon to help implement a tight security system at the school, but even with all of their precautions, the boy is kidnapped. When the investigation begins, it looks like one of the cops has given the plans to a group of kidnappers. Suspicion falls on one policeman, who tries to convince everyone he's being framed.

Anger of fear also examines the tied hands of the legal system of England, and what happens when "the anger of fear" leads people to do extraordinary things.

Ashford is a fine writer, and manages to build the suspense slowly and keep you there for a while. Recommended for people who like British mysteries, or something just a little different in their mystery reading. ( )