The Summer of Dead Toys

Spanish author Hill’s strong debut introduces Barcelona Insp. Héctor Salgado, a native of Argentina who has just returned to duty after an enforced vacation. Four months earlier, Salgado was suspended from duty for losing his temper and assaulting Dr. Omar, the leader of a human-trafficking ring. Salgado now looks into the death of 19-year-old Marc Castells, the son of a successful businessman with right-wing political connections. The teen’s fatal fall from a balcony appears to have been an accident, but Salgado’s astute partner, Leire Castro, notices a subtle clue that transforms the matter into a homicide investigation. Meanwhile, Dr. Omar, now recovered from the inspector’s beating, has vanished, with a bloody pig’s head left on the criminal’s office desk. Salgado’s rich inner life and Hill’s talents at plotting and prose bode well for a successful series. (June)