Death’s Door

Kelly’s masterful fourth procedural starring Det. Insp. Peter Shaw of the West Norfolk Constabulary (after 2011’s Death Toll) centers on a highly unusual cold case. In 1994, Shane White, a 20-year-old lifeguard, accompanied more than 70 people on a ferry to the island of East Hills, only to be fatally stabbed by one of them. At the time, Shaw and his team were unable to ID the killer. Advances in DNA analysis offer new hope, as the murderer may have left his or her skin cells on a towel marked with White’s blood. The surviving 66 suspects are to be re-interviewed and asked to supply a DNA sample. The cold case may have links with a warm one involving an apparent suicide. The intelligently developed lead must adjust to the loss of vision in one eye while navigating the treacherous shoals of office politics. Deft plotting and shrewdly drawn characters help make this the best installment to date. Agent: Faith Evans, Faith Evans Associates. (May)