Hazel Best is a rookie cop in Norbold, England. Gabriel Ash is a grief-stricken man who may hold the key to a man's death, but who talks only to his assistance dog. The odds that they can solve a murder seem slim. But they do investigate a theory that the college student who died in a police cell was a homicide victim. The victim, Jerome, had confided in Gabriel just before his death—using code from Shakespeare—and, fortunately, Gabriel cared enough to follow up. After he goes to visit Jerome's parents, someone tries to kidnap him, and he's released only because a local reporter witnesses the grab. The reporter fares less well; he's the next murder victim. Hazel and Gabriel need protection—stat. VERDICT The versatile Bannister (Death in High Places) has crafted yet another stunning, paranoia-doused psychological suspense novel guaranteed to keep readers glued to their seats. A good pairing would be Jonathan Lewis's Into Darkness, which also features an assistance dog. [See Prepub Alert, 10/08/12.]

Stubborn morality and acid-tinged whimsy drive this superior stand-alone from British author Bannister (Liars All and eight other Brodie Farrell mysteries). Recovering mental patient Gabriel Ash looks pathetic and vulnerable as he rambles through the town of Norbold while talking to his dog. One day, at the local police station, where he's recovering from a beating, Gabriel receives a cryptic message from a man who's then killed by a crazed prisoner. Gabriel forces himself back into contact with normal humanity because he feels he ought to do something about the crime. Rookie policewoman Hazel Best is also dissatisfied with the official explanation of the tragedy. And so the three—the traumatized beating victim, the idealistic young cop, and the dog—begin sniffing under the pristine surface of the virtually crime-free town. They have no idea how dangerous good intentions can be. Bannister's plotting is neat and her characterization smooth, with just enough irony to keep people from seeming ostentatiously noble. Agent: Jane Gregory, Gregory & Company Authors' Agents (U.K.). (Mar.)