cover image Cuckoo: A Caz Flood Story

Cuckoo: A Caz Flood Story

Alex Keegan. St. Martin's Press, $23.95 (0pp) ISBN 978-0-312-13043-5

Right after Brighton beat cop Caz Flood is promoted to detective constable, she is plunged into a neighbor's murder in this energetic debut from England. While the rest of the investigative force pegs the crime as a ``domestic'' between gay men, Caz disagrees, on a hunch (``the place felt sexy'' to her, she says of the victim's flat, explaining her gut feeling that he wasn't gay). Two more men are killed, linking the case more strongly to Brighton's gay community, although Caz's doubts persist. Interviewing a man named Valerie Thomas about the crimes, Caz learns that they share a love of classic cars and flying; they begin dating. But, as she pursues the case and becomes herself a target of the killer, she discovers evidence connecting Valerie to the crimes and wonders if--and how--she could be in love with a murderer. Keegan maintains suspense and shows a solid grasp of procedural plotting as Caz proves she's an astute, perceptive detective. (June)