Dead Girls

In this tense crime novel from British author Cameron (Normal), Sgt. Ali Green of Norwich CID, seconded to the Major Investigation Team, goes on emergency leave after she’s brutally beaten by an unknown assailant she suspects is the serial killer she’s pursuing, Thomas Reed. Two months after the attack, Ali suffers bouts of memory loss and lack of mobility. When the car of one of two other detectives working the case, which has been missing since the incident, is found burnt out with at least one corpse inside, Ali returns to work. With this new evidence, the police resume their search for Thomas, who may be responsible for the disappearance of four girls in addition to the two detectives, now presumed dead. Meanwhile, Ali clashes with Kevin McManus, a colleague who was wounded during the same attack and realizes that Ali is trying to conceal her mental and physical limitations. The characters’ psychological motivations ring true, and the action builds to a spine-tingling resolution. Readers will hope to see more of feisty, appealing Ali. Agent: Amy Moore-Benson, AMB Literary Management (Canada). (May)