Accidental Crimes — John Hutton

The murder investigation had nothing to do with Conrad. He was a model citizen, even a rather important one. He had, however, been under considerable strain recently: there was the uncertainty about his future, and his relationship with Stephanie, his wife, was not quite what it had once been.Perhaps that explained why he had lied to the police. It had been such a small untruth, a simple dodge to escape the roadblock across the desolate moorlands where a girl's raped and mutilated body had been found. But it was to have a devastating effect on Conrad's life.A compelling novel. John Hutton uses crime to explore the complexities of human personality and the dangerous pitfalls of self-delusion. His psychology is impeccable, his writing sharp and often wryly comic, and his central character hauntingly believable. (B-O-T Editorial Review Board)