A solid plot and a view of some of London's more obscure neighborhoods enhance Chan's third contemporary cozy to feature amateur sleuth Phillip Bethancourt and his best friend, Scotland Yard Det. Sgt. Jack Gibbons (after 2006's Village Affairs
). When someone shoots Jack, who's recently been transferred to the Yard's arts theft division, Phillip thinks the crime has something to do with his friend's investigation of an antique jewelry heist. Jack's mentor at the Yard, Detective Chief Inspector Carmichael, provides access to the forensic evidence in the theft case, introduces Phillip to possible suspects and sets up a good dynamic between the official and unofficial investigators involved. While progress in the shooting case is as slow as Jack's recovery from his wounds, Chan pulls off an ending as surprising as it is fitting. (Apr.)
