Blood Money

Fans of complex British police procedurals will find a great deal to like in Det. Insp. Tom Mariner's fourth investigation, the first available in the U.S. After a raid on an establishment where young female immigrants are held in sexual slavery, Mariner is looking forward to a holiday with his significant other, Anna, but the trip is postponed when Mariner's station receives an alert about infant Jessica Klinnemann, abducted from a reputable day-care center. Possible abductors include an infertile woman from the local hospital, an anti–day-care advocate, and an animal rights activist protesting Jessica's father's work. When a local vicar finds a happy, healthy Jessica on the church doorstep, Mariner knows the hard work is just beginning. Despite a disappointingly untidy ending, readers will enjoy the police work and look forward to future Mariner stories. (Sept.)