From Booklist
Chief Inspector Roger Hayes marches to a different drummer. A former classical pianist, he is a renegade cop whose unorthodox style has resulted in banishment to a small village constabulary near Oxford. His first big case on his new patch is the very public murder of hairdresser Sandy Prentice, whose bloodied body is found a week after she has been stabbed to death. Slogging detective work along with Roger's well-honed intuition soon point to young Maurice Chambers as the prime suspect. Recently released from prison for killing a child in a drunk-driving accident, Maurice is the spoiled son of a wealthy local businessman. But despite damning (albeit circumstantial) evidence against Maurice, Roger is not convinced he is the killer. Roger is an ingratiating hero--a maverick in the Inspector Morse mold, equally cerebral but much less irascible. The inventive plot and the unexpected solution combine with Roger's appeal to produce a lively and enjoyable mystery.
Emily MeltonCopyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved
