Recalled to Death: A Martha Gunn Mystery

Early in Masters’s gripping sixth Martha Gunn mystery (after 2014’s The Devil’s Chair), the gatekeeper at Moreton Corbet Castle, an English Heritage site in Shropshire, discovers while inspecting the castle’s grounds a homeless man with his throat slashed. Det. Insp. Alex Randall leads the investigation in a most baffling murder case, while coroner Martha plays a subsidiary role. The few clues make identifying the victim unusually difficult. More questions arise once the police learn that he was a nice guy, polite and well-spoken, with no history of drug or alcohol abuse. How did he fall so completely off the grid? Alex becomes as eager to understand what motivated the dead man to abandon his respectable life as he is to catch the man’s killer. The intricate plot slowly builds momentum until reaching a surprising resolution. Details that hint at future developments for several characters will leave readers eager for the next installment. (Oct.)