A.G. Barnett, AN OCCUPIED GRAVE

This is the first in a series of exceptional British police procedurals featuring Detective Sergeant Guy Poole and Detective Inspector Sam Brock working in he town of Bexford, England. Aside from catching criminals, both officers have burdens to bear. Poole’s father is a criminal whose activities years ago got Guy’s best childhood friend killed and Guy himself wounded, and now that the father is about to be released from prison, he wishes to reestablish a relationship with his reluctant son. Brock’s wife wants to have a baby, which he is decidedly ambivalent about, and as he becomes more attached to Poole, he becomes increasingly fearful of losing yet another sergeant in the line of duty.

The books in this series have a host of interesting characters, and complex plots that hold the readers interest to the end. There is also a nice dollop of humor to ease the stress of capturing the bad guys.