A Bad, Bad Thing

Det. Chief Insp. Eve West, the heroine of this strong series launch from British author Forbes (Jigsaw Man and three other Mark Tartaglia mysteries), is suspended after the fatal shooting of her partner, Det. Sgt. Jason Scott, during a call on a house in a seedy part of London. Eve must find evidence to prove that she was set up, or her superiors will use her as a convenient scapegoat and fire her. In this state of limbo, she receives an offer of help from John Duran, a convicted murderer serving time at a high-security prison. He will give her the evidence she needs to clear herself in exchange for her investigating the case of Sean Farrell who, 10 years earlier, Duran says, was wrongly convicted of murdering Jane McNeil, an employee of a prestigious racing stable. He suggests that she start her inquiries by talking to the director of a charity that delves into cases of wrongful imprisonment. Eve’s own mysterious past inserts itself into an investigation that twists, turns, and continually surprises. Readers will eagerly await her next outing. Agent: Sarah Lutyens, Lutyens and Rubinstein (U.K.). (Dec.)