Death's Bright Angel — Janet Neel

DEATH'S BRIGHT ANGEL introduces two of the most compelling characters on the contemporary mystery scene: Detective Inspector John McLeish, a 6'4", ex-rugby playing Scot, and Francesca Wilson, sister of a rising pop star, civil servant, and divorcee, with a knack for getting into trouble.

It seemed like a typical London mugging when the purchasing manager for Britex Fabrics, an ailing Yorkshire textile mill, was found with his head smashed in on a seedy street, his wallet and wristwatch gone. But the savagery of the crime troubled McLeish. Why hadn't the thief stopped after the first, knock-out blow?

Investigating Britex's other officers, McLeish ran into beautiful Francesca Wilson, part of a government team considering a bail-out loan. Distracted by Francesca, who managed to be both terrifically bright and appealingly scatterbrained, McLeish failed to realize that she was walking straight into mortal danger...