DOMINIC

How to get away with murder, again.

Ever since his troublesome days at prep school in his native England, Dominic has been well-aware that he's a psychopath with no sense of empathy, guilt, or fear. We first met him (Hollow Man, 2015) when he and some friends stole a lot of money and avoided charges for two murders. Dominic’s only joy in life is his music, which has won him a devoted following in the Austin, Texas, clubs he plays. His job as a prosecutor in juvenile court brings him up against Bobby, a budding psychopath and the younger brother of the stunning, nameless young woman with whom Dominic has a secret relationship. For her sake, Dominic does his best to keep the teen out of jail. That’s no easy task because Bobby’s often in trouble, and his condition leads him to believe he’s too clever to get caught. In between rounds with Bobby, Dominic toys with fellow juvenile prosecutor Brian McNulty, a borderline incompetent who thirsts after a judgeship that will soon be available. Detective Megan Ledsome, the officer who investigated the robbery and murder Dominic managed to cover up, still has an eye on him and has questioned Bobby, who decides it might be a good idea if she ended up dead. Once she’s killed, Dominic struggles to keep Bobby in the clear. But the game changes when Dominic finds Bobby shot to death, a possible suicide, while he’s on a ride-along with the local police. Rolling as usual with the punch, Dominic cooks up a complicated plan to keep himself out of trouble while messing up McNulty’s plans to secure the judgeship, a job Dominic feels suits him much better.

His surface charm, intelligence, wealthy upbringing, and good looks make Pryor’s antihero popular with his co-workers. Readers, by contrast, may find it hard to work up much sympathy for a man who lacks any normal human feelings.