An Unsafe Pair of Hands

"I gave up sleep so that I could read to the surprising and satisfying ending. I laughed out loud in public in response to the quirky plot twists. An Unsafe Pair of Hands by Chris Dolley is a masterful addition to the British mystery genre." -- Barth Siemens

Peter Shand is the 'safe pair of hands' - a high-flying police administrator seconded to a quiet rural CID team to gain the operational experience he needs for promotion. On his second day he's thrust into a high-profile murder case. A woman's body is discovered in an old stone circle - with another woman buried alive beneath her.

The pressure on Shand is enormous. The media is clamoring for answers, but everything about the case is baffling. Then a local journalist singles out Shand as the reason for the lack of progress, and goads him at a press conference. Shand responds by inventing a lead, and keeps on lying - to the press, his boss, his team - telling himself that he'll solve the case before anyone finds out.

And then another murder occurs. And had there been a third?

Shand begins to doubt his ability. He's desperate, increasingly unpredictable, pursued by an amorous psychic, and somehow gaining a reputation for arresting livestock.

Which will break first? The case, or Shand?

Chris Dolley is a New York Times bestselling author.

REVIEWS

"This mystery is so much fun. The humor is delightful and the plot is complex enough to keep you turning pages to the end... This is by far one of the best summer reads of 2011." -- Jensview

"One of the best I've read in years." -- Laura Belgrave

"I loved this book." -- Bookworm

"This is a very good read. You will want to be sure to have a day off or a quiet weekend ahead of you, because this book is very hard to put down once you get started reading it." -- Kathleen Kempa

"I literally struggled to put the book down, only doing so hours after I should have been asleep." -- Aeries