Elysium Tide

In Hannibal’s disappointing latest (after Wolf Soldier), a neurosurgeon and a cop team up to investigate a string of crimes in Hawaii. After British neurosurgeon Peter Chesterfield goes on a tirade during an operation, his boss forces him to take a break and sends him to a conference at a luxury resort in Maui. Meanwhile, police officer Lisa Kealoha follows a hunch that a recent car theft is more than it seems after an autopsy reveals that the suspect, killed in a high-speed pursuit, had sustained heart damage from severe long-term fear. Then, Peter, out for a late-night stroll on the beach, happens upon a local celebrity unconscious in the water, but he is too late to save her. When Lisa responds to the incident, she, impressed by Peter’s medical expertise, teams up with him to investigate possible connections between the death and the recent spate of stolen cars. As they unravel an operation much deeper and darker than expected, Peter, a crotchety atheist, develops a begrudging respect for Lisa’s Christian faith. Despite the strong, twisty mystery, things take a while to get going, and the leads are so flat as to not reward those who stick it out. There are some genuine surprises, but not everyone will stay long enough to see them. (June)