A DCI Neil Paget Mystery - When Laura Holbrook, co-owner of Holbrook Micro-Engineering Labs, is brutally murdered one evening while her womanizing husband is out, and with little more than a few dog hairs as evidence, it is believed that Laura was killed by burglars. But DCI Paget and DS Tregalles suspect otherwise, and suspicion falls on several potential suspects. It is up to Paget and Tregalles to try to find the true killer . .
From Publishers Weekly
In Smith's solid if unflashy seventh police procedural to feature Det. Chief Insp. Neil Paget (after 2008's Breaking Point), Paget looks into a series of unsolved burglaries that have baffled the authorities in Broadminster. Before Paget can make much headway, someone bludgeons to death Laura Holbrook, co-owner of an engineering company, in the course of a break-in. When the victim's husband, Simon, acts suspiciously soon after getting the tragic news, Paget and his team begin to examine the possibility that Laura's murder was planned. There's no shortage of possible killers, including Laura's sister, who had her sights set on Simon, and Simon's attractive assistant, who was displaced when Laura joined the company. Another murder narrows the field a bit, but puts added pressure on the police to close the case. While many readers will identify whodunit before the inspector does, clean prose and credible characterizations keep the action moving smoothly to the end. (Apr.)
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From Booklist
DCI Neil Paget and DS John Tregalles return in another top-notch British police procedural. Laura Holbrook is bludgeoned to death one night while her husband is away. At first, it looks like a burglary gone wrong, but as Paget and Tregalles investigate, they realize the case is more complex than they first thought. Laura was a partner in Holbrook Micro-Engineering, which she single-handedly rescued from bankruptcy. Her cutthroat methods won her no friends among the companyβs employees, save for the owner, Simon Holbrook, whom Laura married once the company was back on track. But Simon is a known womanizer, and cracks soon appear in the marriage, especially after Simon is rumored to be sleeping with Lauraβs sister. As Paget and Tregalles dig deeper into the case, they unearth some ugly secrets and end up with a long list of leads and possible suspects. A very good series that authentically depicts the frustrations and rewards of police work and offers an entertaining and engaging read for fans of British police procedurals. --Emily Melton