Dead Pretty

Mark’s gritty fifth series crime novel (after 2015’s Taking Pity) finds Det. Sgt. Aector McAvoy fixated on two unsolved cases: the disappearance of one young woman and the brutal murder of another nine months later. McAvoy’s friend Det. Constable Helen Tremberg wishes that “he were able to free himself of the barbed wire of conscience that he has wrapped in and around himself.” Meanwhile, handsome, charming Reuben Hollow, who was convicted of murder, is freed when his conviction is quashed on appeal. This reflects badly on McAvoy’s boss, Det. Supt. Trish Pharaoh, who originally put Hollow behind bars. When evidence connects Hollow to several murders of men who have abused women, McEvoy wonders whether Hollow is a killer of abusers and women. Or is he in fact the nice guy he appears to be? And what about Pharaoh—is she a good cop or a corrupt one? Mark keeps the reader guessing. Strong prose, intriguing characters, and high tension make this a standout. Agent: Oli Munson, A.M. Heath (U.K.). (May)