The High Flyer: A Ben Norton Aviation Mystery

In this solid series debut set in 1930 from Darrell (Spanish Inquisition), Chris Peterson, a test pilot who shot down 18 German planes during WWI, perishes while flying a new aircraft, the Lance fighter, during its debut at an English airfield. Witnesses to the fatal crash include government ministers, high-ranking RAF officers, and Ben Norton, who flew with Peterson during the war when the two were “as close as brothers.” They later had a falling out, and Ben was planning to blackmail Peterson. Instead, he attends his fellow airman’s funeral, where he tells the widow, Julia, that he believes there should be a thorough investigation into the tragedy. Ben comes to suspect foul play in Peterson’s death, which complicates his plan to replace the dead man as test pilot for the Lance. His own secrets are threatened when he’s sought out by a woman who hopes to mine his memories for a biography of Peterson she’s writing. The characterizations aren’t deep, but Ben makes for an intriguingly enigmatic series sleuth. (Apr.)