The High Flyer

February 8, 2016
In this solid series debut set in 1930 from Darrell (Spanish Inquisition), Chris Peterson, a test pilot who shot down 18 German planes during WWI, perishes while flying a new aircraft, the Lance fighter, during its debut at an English airfield. Witnesses to the fatal crash include government ministers, high-ranking RAF officers, and Ben Norton, who flew with Peterson during the war when the two were “as close as brothers.” They later had a falling out, and Ben was planning to blackmail Peterson. Instead, he attends his fellow airman’s funeral, where he tells the widow, Julia, that he believes there should be a thorough investigation into the tragedy. Ben comes to suspect foul play in Peterson’s death, which complicates his plan to replace the dead man as test pilot for the Lance. His own secrets are threatened when he’s sought out by a woman who hopes to mine his memories for a biography of Peterson she’s writing. The characterizations aren’t deep, but Ben makes for an intriguingly enigmatic series sleuth.

March 1, 2016
During WWI, Jack Norton and Chris Peterson shot down 18 enemy aircraft, including that of German ace Gustav Blomfeld. But something happened, and by the end of the war, they were bitter enemies. After the war, Jack changed his name to Ben and fled to Egypt to set up his own air-shipping company. Peterson went on to marry Julia Lance, daughter of the wealthy owner of an aeronautics company, which led him to pilot the Lance, a test plane designed to revolutionize military warfare. When Peterson is tragically killed during a test flight, Ben is there to witness the disaster and volunteers to take over as the Lance's pilot. Some believe the crash was the result of a design flaw, but Ben thinks it may have been sabotage and launches a clandestine investigation. Solid writing, a twisty plot, taut suspense, and a brave but flawed hero make this aviation adventure an engaging read.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2016, American Library Association.)