The Murder Code - Hardcover

Mosby, Steve

Hardcover

ISBN 10: 1605984884 ISBN 13: 9781605984889

Publisher: Pegasus Crime, 2013

Synopsis

Winner of the 2012 Crime Writers’ Association Dagger in the Library Award 

The American debut of CWA Dagger winner Steve Mosby, who delivers a riveting psychological crime novel in the vein of Ian Rankin and Denise Mina.

Detective Inspector Andrew Hicks thinks he knows all about murder. However horrific the act, the reasons behind a crime are usually easy to explain. So when a woman is found bludgeoned to death, he suspects a crime of passion and attention focuses on her possessive ex-husband. But when a second body is found, similarly beaten, Hicks is forced to think again.

When more murders arrive in quick succession, Hicks realizes he is dealing with a type of killer he has never faced before, one who fits nowhere within his logic. Then the letters begin to arrive . . .

As the death toll rises, Hicks must face not only a killer obsessed with randomness and chaos, but also a secret in his own past. If he is to stop the killings, he must confront the truth about himself . . .

About this title

About the Author

Steve Mosby is the author of three previous novels, The Murder Code, The Nightmare Place, and The Reckoning on Cane Hill, all available from Pegasus Crime. His novels have been translated into nine languages around the world and have landed in the top ten on bestseller lists in France, Germany, and Holland. He lives in England.

From Booklist

If it’s possible for a detective to be complacent about murder, Detective Inspector Andrew Hicks fits the bill. He is convinced crimes always make sense; there’s always a pattern if you look hard enough. His theory is put to the test when he arrives on the scene of the brutal murder of a young woman and finds, not far off, the similarly brutalized body of a homeless man. Aside from the manner of killing, there’s no personal connection between the victims—or between other victims discovered in the days that follow. Just as ­puzzling are the letters Hicks receives from the killer; their rational tone seems totally at odds with the frenzied manner of the murders. Further complicating matters, Hicks’ attention is divided between the case and the upcoming arrival of his first child, an event that brings forward memories of his abusive father and fears that his father’s influence and his own past actions will compromise his ability to be a good parent. In the end, everything turns out to be about fathers and sons. Satisfying reading for those who favor character-driven crime fiction. --Stephanie Zvirin

About this edition

• Publisher: Pegasus Crime
• Publication date: 2013
• ISBN 10: 1605984884
• ISBN 13: 9781605984889
• Binding: Hardcover
• Number of pages: 368