A LIGHT IN THE DARKNESS

An Englishman looking into a friend’s murder stumbles upon drug deals and dealers, putting himself and others in peril in Hatt’s debut thriller, the first in a series.

Anesthetic and recovery practitioner Haszard (he prefers not using his first name, which is never given) hears of a murder near the hospital where he works. The victim was Pauline Vickers, a nurse and Haszard’s acquaintance; they also had a one-night stand. Now Haszard is determined to find her killer. But questioning associates uncovers more questions: He’d never known Pauline to do drugs, yet he learns she was a cocaine user with a sizable stash and was telling others of a possible shipment. Haszard’s investigation, with help from his new love interest, Sabrina, and Pauline’s boyfriend, Ed, leads to more bodies, a hodgepodge of suspects—including the hospital’s chief of security, who warns him to stop with the gumshoe routine—and someone shooting at Haszard. At its core, Hatt’s novel is a typical detective story, but the atypical investigation from a nondetective gives it a refreshing vibe. Thriller fans will recognize many elements—the mysterious villain, a drug dealer known only as “The Ghost” who’s supplying people with a high-grade cocaine, and Haszard’s gradual distrust of others, even those who’re helping him. But the story has just as many unusual characteristics: This “detective” has a strange predilection for snakes and fears running into his ex, Debbie, or her equally intense friend, Harriet, just as much as the murderer. He stakes out a suspect’s home, only to be bored for a couple of uneventful evenings. Some of Haszard’s interrogations become repetitive, though, since the info he picks up is much of the same: Many inform him of Pauline’s drug habit or her surprising affiliation with prostitutes. But, with consistent reminders of the ongoing case, Hatt steers his story clear of any lulls, even when Haszard is spending his time entangled in his new romance with Sabrina. Hatt also excels at generating suspense, as in a scene in which Haszard, Ed and Ed’s cohorts chase a man into an old building with dilapidated, unstable floors.

Familiar genre traits coupled with innovative touches make this an exceptional novel and a worthy series opener.