Third Person Singular

Moving with great ease and speaking with great authority, this first novel introduces Marshall ""Mars"" Bahr, a divorced dad struggling to do the right thing for his precocious eight-year-old son, Chris. He's also the detective that Minneapolis calls in on its toughest homicide cases. This time the victim is Mary Pat Fitzgerald, a smart blonde teenager from a good family in the nearby suburb of Edina. She's found stabbed on a deserted path on the Father Hennepin Bluffs, with a bellyful of gin. By all accounts, the girl never drank, and what was she doing so far from home? As Mars digs into her private life, he finds a mother who's a drunk, an abusive father and a best friend who's not talking. In spite of the diligent work of Mars and his quasi-partner, Nettie Frisch, the case stalls. Months later, a completely unexpected break occurs when the Boston murder of another young girl is linked to the Fitzgerald case. Mars is drawn back in, unaware that he is believing exactly what the killer wants him to believe. The writing here is so flawless, the tone so true, that the reader wholeheartedly enters the world of Mars Bahr and others. Well-chosen details about Minneapolis's history and the politics in city hall enhance the setting; a strong, precise style and deftly handled transitions make the book sheer pleasure to read. If there's a weakness, it's the lack of development in Mars's personal life, although he does have a charming and unusual relationship with his son. With any luck, this is the first in a worthy new series. (Jan. 6)