Still Waters (DCI Mark Lapslie, Bk 1)
Warning: this serial-killer story contains extremely creepy scenes of violence, but for those with a high creep-out threshold, or those who can skim past the icky parts, McCrery’s new series debut may prove entertaining, if a bit gimmicky. McCrery (who created the mystery series Silent Witness) introduces a police detective hero (British Deputy Chief Inspector Mark Lapslie of the Essex Police) with a condition that both limits his life and, supposedly, enhances his detective powers. The condition is synesthesia, in which sensory impressions are translated into overwhelming odors and tastes. Lapslie’s investigation of a buried murder victim, unearthed by a car accident, leads to the hunt for someone with a knowledge of toxic garden substances and with a deft hand with garden shears. McCrery juxtaposes police procedure with the story of an old woman who preys on other old women. An uncomfortable but compelling read. --Connie Fletcher