65. Black Dog: a Crime Novel by Stephen Booth

The Peak District village of Edendale in northern England holds many small town secrets. Retired miner Harry Dickinson is walking his black Labrador one August evening when the dog comes back with a sneaker. This sneaker belongs to 15-year-old Laura Vernon, a local girl missing from her wealthy family’s house in the area. Many local suspects soon start to appear, including Laura’s boyfriend, the Vernons’ gardener, and even Harry Dickinson. Many of these characters have secret lives, culminating in a very atmospheric murder mystery.

This is the first in a series involving the British detective Ben Cooper. Ben’s father was also an officer, and died a heroic death while on duty. His mother suffers from severe schizophrenia and Ben’s family is left taking care of her and her increasingly disruptive behavior. While Ben is hoping to get a sergeant’s post, newcomer Diane Fry, from Birmingham teams up with Ben to help solve the missing girl’s murder. The chemistry between the two is very believable, and Diane doesn’t let Ben get away with much. The setting of the Peak District helps this mystery also and there are many descriptions of the hilly English countryside.