The Scent of Death

Set in 1778, this excellent series opener from Diamond Dagger Award–winner Taylor (The Anatomy of Ghosts) introduces Edward Savill, an employee of the British government’s American Department. The day Savill’s ship docks in New York harbor, he observes a man’s corpse dragging from a dinghy in the water. Later the same day, Savill gets involved in investigating the stabbing death of Roger Pickett, a gentleman newly arrived in the city. Under the terms of his commission, Savill is supposed to report to his masters in London on the “administration of justice in the city in all its aspects,” which puts him at odds with British military officers, who regard a murder inquiry as a low priority in wartime. Taylor plants clues to the murderer’s identity early on in a fair-play plot whose fiendish cleverness becomes apparent only at the end. His depiction of the plight of American Loyalists adds another facet to this superior whodunit. [em]Agent: Vivien Green, Sheil Land Associates (U.K.). (Oct.) [/em]