Deadly Virtues

In this fast-paced thriller, Deadly Virtues, acclaimed writer Jo Bannister proves once again why she is considered "one of the genre's best" (Booklist)The town of Norbold, England is famous for its low crime rate, thanks to the zero-tolerance policy of Chief Superintendent John Fountain. And Norbold’s newest police recruit, Hazel Best, is happy to help keep it that way. But numbers never tell the whole story, do they? Jerome Cardy knew he was going to die. He also knew that it would be made to appear like an accident. He might not be able to prevent it, but Jerome was determined to make sure that someone knew what was going to happen—even if that someone was a man with a concussion lying with his dog  in a jail cell next to him. After Jerome is found beaten to death by a fellow inmate in another cell, Ash is unable to forget Jerome’s last awkward words to him: “I had a dog once. Othello. That was its name. Othello.” Certain there is a hidden message in these words, Ash is determined to discover the truth. But it won't be easy—no one believes his account of that night. And Hazel Best must decide whether pursuing the truth is worth her career. From BooklistEvery village has its eccentrics. In Norbold, England, it’s Gabriel Ash, known locally as “Rambles with Dog.” Usually speaking only to his therapist and his dog, Patience, Ash is, at best, an unreliable witness to a beating in a police holding cell. Law student Jerome Cardy’s last words—“I had a dog once. Othello”—were spoken to Ash. The party line is that Cardy was in the wrong place at the wrong time, beaten to death by a violent cellmate. It’s only new police recruit Hazel Best who believes Ash when he says that Cardy told him he was going to die in that police station. Against the advice of the revered chief superintendent, John Fountain, Best investigates and finds ties to Nobold’s last-standing Mob boss and Fountain’s nemesis, Mickey Argyle. Ash is a broken man whose body keeps shuffling along even though his heart and soul were crushed years ago. His heartbreaking backstory is cleverly teased out over the course of the novel. Bannister departs from her Brodie Farrell mysteries (Liars All, 2010) in this captivating stand-alone thriller. --Karen Keefe Review“Stubborn morality and acid-tinged whimsy drive this superior stand-alone from British author Bannister….Bannister’s plotting is neat and her characterization smooth, with just enough irony to keep people from seeming ostentatiously noble.” —Publishers Weekly (starred review)“Bannister’s engrossing tale is both thrilling and poignant, not easy to do in one work [and is] not to be missed.” —*RT Book Reviews "The versatile Bannister has crafted yet another stunning, paranoia-doused psychological suspense novel guaranteed to keep readers glued to their seats." —Library Journal* (starred review)