The Devil’s Edge

In Booth’s accomplished 11th novel featuring Det. Sgt. Ben Cooper and Det. Sgt. Diane Fry (after 2010’s Lost River), a gang of burglars dubbed “the Savages” by the media has been robbing homes in the rural Peak District, using violence when necessary to get in and out quickly. An attack at an expensive house in Riddings that kills Zoe Barron and leaves husband Jake with serious head injuries ups the stakes. When interviews with the few scattered neighbors reveal surprising animosities and disagreements, Cooper begins to suspect the attack on the Barrons wasn’t a typical home invasion, though his superiors disagree. Meanwhile, fears that edgy residents might take matters into their own hands prove true and involve Cooper’s brother, Matt. Besides rendering Cooper and Fry as fully realized characters, Booth makes even minor characters as distinct and sharp as the jagged rocks of the Riddings Edge. Agent: Teresa Chris, Teresa Chris Literary. (Dec.)