The Murder Code

Det. Andrew Hicks likes to believe he has reduced homicide investigation to a science, but his system seems woefully inadequate pitted against a diabolic serial killer in this grisly but ingeniously plotted British thriller, Mosby’s U.S. debut (previously published in the U.K. as Dark Room). The killer terrorizes with blitzkrieg efficiency an unnamed industrial city that somewhat resembles Mosby’s hometown of Leeds, daring police to decipher the pattern underlying his apparently random savagery. As Hicks—wrestling with personal demons, including his disintegrating marriage—and his acerbic partner, Det. Laura Fellowes, desperately scramble to crack their adversary’s “code,” Mosby deftly explores themes of evil, fate, and the possibility of a grander design in life, even if it’s one we only imagine that we see. Though the book is not for the squeamish—graphic scenes include a bludgeoning murder and animal torture—Mosby’s strong characters, stunning plot twists, and overall assurance leave a powerful impression. (Dec.)