“Every generation has its iconic detective—Holmes, Poirot and Morse—but Cross is emerging as the one for now. Treasure him.”—Daily Mail

He's a victim. But is he innocent?

Detective Sergeant George Cross has always been a good student—attentive, methodical, and careful to double-check his work. So when an elderly schoolteacher is found dead at home in southwest England, Cross knows the math isn’t adding up. The angle of the man’s neck suggests he fell down the stairs. But the stab wound on his body changes the equation.

In the weeks before his murder, the reclusive Alistair Moreton seemed different. He had always kept to himself, but people swear someone else was in the house when they checked on him. There was a reason he wouldn’t let them inside.

DS George Cross has a long list of suspects. Prickly and miserable, Moreton made life hell for his neighbors and former pupils. But every victim deserves justice—even one who never learned an important truth: If you go through life making enemies, you shouldn’t be surprised when someone decides to teach you a lesson.