The Tears of Angels

Two particularly brutal murders claim the attention of Det. Chief Insp. Colin Anderson in Ramsay’s unsettling sixth police thriller featuring the Scottish copper and Det. Insp. Winifred “Freddie” Costello (after 2014’s The Night Hunter). One victim, found in a field with his arms ripped off, appears to be Warren McAvoy, long wanted for questioning in a child murder case. The other is 92-year-old Arabella Barr, an invalid who was wrapped in her duvet before someone set fire to the duvet. Anderson turns the arson case over to his juniors so he and Costello can focus on who killed McAvoy. That McAvoy murdered three children becomes increasingly doubtful. Newcomers to the series may have trouble keeping the many deftly sketched characters straight, but the intricate plot will keep readers turning the pages of this well-told tale of evil brought to justice. Those seeking evocative descriptions of the Scottish countryside should look elsewhere. [em]Agent: Jane Gregory, Gregory & Company (U.K.). (Sept.) [/em]