Three new crime novels offer readers a diverse range of thrilling experiences, from a unique detective on the autism spectrum to a mother's haunting return to a dying town and a reopened murder case after two decades.
The Detective by Matthew Reilly
The Detective by Matthew Reilly (Orion £22, 400pp) introduces Sam Speedman, a private detective unlike any other. He is on the autism spectrum, which drives him to meticulously prepare for every situation. He is slender, below average height, and wears thick glasses. However, he is highly skilled with computers, a licensed attorney, and holds a doctorate in criminology. In his debut case, Speedman investigates an age-old conspiracy: 24 sex workers have gone missing over 150 years in the Deep South, and every person who attempted to find them has also vanished. He uncovers a cover-up among wealthy families in the former Confederacy, putting himself in grave danger. Smarter than Jack Reacher, Speedman is one of the most compelling characters to emerge in years. Do not miss him.
Last One Out by Jane Harper
Last One Out by Jane Harper (Macmillan £20, 384pp) is less a straightforward thriller and more an exquisite lament for a lost son, a lost marriage, and a lost town with a dark mystery at its core. Harper's sixth thriller centers on Ro Crowley, a woman in her 50s who lost her son, Sam, five years ago in the dying town of Carralon Ridge, Australia. Sam had gone there to celebrate his 21st birthday and disappeared while exploring deserted houses. His rental car was parked outside, with only his footprints—one set going in and one set coming out. Now Ro returns for the anniversary of the tragedy, only to find the community collapsing under the shadow of a vast mine on the outskirts. A few inhabitants remain, including her ex-husband, but who is at the heart of this riddle?
The Stranger on the Stairs by Ruth Mancini
The Stranger on the Stairs by Ruth Mancini (Century £16.99, 368pp) begins when Bella Nicholls was seven years old. She came downstairs one morning to find her mother tied up, gagged, and dead on the kitchen floor. Bella was the chief prosecution witness in the murder trial of Jamie Clarke, claiming she saw him in the house before she went to bed. Now, 20 years later, Clarke has been released, and Bella begins to doubt her memory. Could there have been someone else in the house that night? Clarke has always maintained his innocence and has since met middle-aged law lecturer Eve Shotton, who believes him. But is he truly innocent or a convincing liar? This deeply felt, moving story explores the complexities of justice. Exactly who should you trust—or believe?
