Headcase — Peter Helton

Art thieves should be shot. Which is why Chris Honeysett, painter, aesthete and -- when money's particularly tight -- private investigator in Bath, very nearly didn't take the case. After all, the police have much better resources for tracking stolen works of art. Only his classic Citroën needs work, his studio is falling down, and the price of sea bass just goes up and up. Then an old friend, seemingly unconnected to the case, is murdered, and Chris finds himself high on a short list of suspects -- more than a little distracted as he sets out to find the killer. He soon discovers that when dealing with professional criminals, taking your eye off the ball can have fatal consequences. Murder appears even more brutal against the genteel façade of the Georgian city, where tourists are enjoying an exceptional summer. But there is more bubbling under the surface of Bath than just a hot sulphurous spring.