A Field Guide to Murder

An elderly anthropologist teams up with his caregiver to solve a murder in Cullen’s lovely debut cozy. Retired and recovering from a fractured hip, anthropologist Harry Lancaster is at loose ends. Like Jimmy Stewart in Rear Window, he spends far too much time looking through binoculars at his fellow residents in the quiet neighborhood of Lakeview Estates. When his neighbor Sue Daniels calls Harry and begs for help, he and his caregiver Emma Stockton rush to her home and find her dead. Harry has witnessed Sue’s bizarre behavior, including her insistence that she’s seen Emma somewhere before, so he refuses to accept the official conclusion that she accidentally overdosed on one of her medications. Instead, he throws himself into investigating, looking into Sue’s conflicts with neighbors while Emma assists him to ensure he doesn’t jeopardize his recovery. Harry’s crotchety charm and Emma’s patient companionship make it a pleasure to spend time in their company, and Cullen constructs a sophisticated puzzle for the pair to solve. This will leave readers eager for a sequel. Agent: Paula Munier, Talcott Notch Literary. (Jan.)