True Witness

November 18, 2002
Daniel Hood, a sweet bachelor math teacher who's still recovering from his last encounter with danger (in 2001's Echoes of Lies), finds himself once again dealing with the consequences of a crime, in this poignant and chilling psychological thriller by British veteran Bannister. Daniel has befriended Brodie Farrell, single mom and owner of the search service, Looking for Something?, and he invites her daughter, Paddy, over to look at the stars and planets to celebrate her fifth birthday. But the telescope shows Daniel more than Jupiter—he witnesses a murder on the pier in front of his house. DI Jack Deacon recognizes a pattern in the crime and immediately identifies a suspect, a serial killer who escaped a murder conviction 10 years earlier. Daniel, on the other hand, is uncertain. Brodie, knowing Daniel won't settle for anything less than the absolute truth and fearing that he'll get himself into trouble, decides to begin her own investigation. Bannister (Changelings, etc.) skillfully moves her characters through an intriguing tale of tragedy and death in a small town, exploring their thoughts and motives. Brodie makes a refreshingly realistic sleuth, Jack an appealing detective, but it is Daniel, with his obsession with truth and honesty, his sensitivity to the human condition and his determination, who stars here. (Dec. 2)Forecast:Hints that the relationship between Brodie and Jack will develop into something more significant in later installments should attract mystery readers who like a little romance.

December 1, 2002
When murder befalls Bubbles Xingara, Britain's premier tennis star, detective Harriet Martens (The Hard Detective) takes charge of the investigation. While she must be especially careful in light of worldwide attention, she mostly fears the fact that, although supposedly happily married, she's fallen for a fellow officer. An intriguing plot from a practiced hand.

November 15, 2002
In the second entry in the Brodie Farrell-Daniel Hood series, following " Echoes of Lies" [BKL D 1 01], Hood, a teacher and amateur astronomer, sets up his telescope near Dimmock Pier on a cold winter night and sees more than the stars--he witnesses a murder. The police think that serial killer Neil Cochrane, who was never prosecuted because of lack of evidence, is the culprit. The death of a second victim reinforces the cops' suspicions, and they arrest Cochrane. However, when Daniel informs the police that they have the wrong man in custody, they refuse to consider this possibility. Daniel sets out to investigate on his own, with dire consequences. His friend Brodie, a single mother who runs her own business, comes to his aid and draws the attention of gruff Inspector Deacon, who finds himself attracted to her. In a novel full of well-developed, interesting characters, Bannister builds a complex case with plenty of surprises that will keep readers guessing about what really happened until the very end. An intricate psychological puzzler.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2002, American Library Association.)