Almost a Whisper

At the outset of British author Masters’s meticulously constructed 15th mystery featuring Det. Insp. Joanna Piercy (after 2019’s Blood on the Rocks), a hiker, who’s out for his habitual walk on the Staffordshire moors, is stunned to see a young woman apparently edging a toddler in a pushchair dangerously near the precipice of a steep cliff. Fearing for the child’s life, he intervenes. He takes the woman and child, both of whom have blood on their clothing, to Leek police station. The woman seems dazed and doesn’t utter a word. Is she traumatized or obstructing the investigation? If the former, what caused the trauma? Piercy and her team take half the book to painstakingly piece together the woman’s identity, and their research eventually leads them to a horrendous crime scene. Subtle clues keep readers engaged amid various false starts, while details of Piercy’s domestic life—including moments with her infant son and her helpful if intrusive in-laws—provide counterpoint to the crime solving. Fans of traditional police procedurals will find a lot to like. Agent: Juliet Burton, Juliet Burton Literary (U.K.). (Mar.)