Fatal Flaw

Somewhat hobbled by uninspired writing, Smith's solid plot finds England's Detective Chief Inspector Neil Paget facing a policeman's nightmare: the woman he cares for becomes a prime murder suspect and clearly has something to hide. Paget's travails begin Christmas Day, when he's called to investigate the apparent suicide of a troubled schoolgirl, Monica Shaw. Although Paget questions the suicide theory, the coroner closes the case. At New Year's, an obvious homicide brings Paget to stables near Monica's school. Victor Prescott has been killed by a pitchfork driven into his chest. Paget recalls that he recently saw Prescott arguing with Dr. Andrea McMillan, whom the widowed detective has been dating. Prescott, it turns out, was really Victor Palmer, lately released from a prison term for child molesting. In Palmer's room, police find a picture of Dr. McMillan, who has never mentioned a daughter, and a child. As he struggles to connect the deaths, Paget can't escape the possibility that Dr. McMillan is involved. For reasons of their own, many well-drawn characters--the stable owner, his wandering wife, a frightened employee and Monica's edgy house mother--play games of deception with police. Paget doggedly sorts through their stories, finally tumbling to a host of clues skillfully planted by Smith (Dragon's Breath, 1980) along the way. (June)