Kate Rhodes defies the sophomore slump in A Killing of Angels, the follow-up to 2013's Crossbones Yard, as psychologist Alice Quentin is unable to refuse Detective Don Burns when he comes to her for help on a new case. Someone is killing employees of London's Angel Bank, leaving an angel picture and white feathers at each scene. To find the murderer, Quentin and Burns must discover the connection between the bankers--the sin for which they are being punished--before another of them becomes the avenging angel's next mark.
Despite the plot's relentless summer sun, A Killing of Angels is a dark psychological thriller that's about more than a series of murders, delving into society's idea of what constitutes mental stability. Several supporting characters vie for attention with strong, colorful personalities. Rhodes infuses her whole cast with as much momentum as the plot, filled with strong twists and plausible red herrings. Alice Quentin's job is to analyze others, but her own psychology engages the reader as much as that of the criminals she observes. And Don Burns, forced to deal with department politics while his family life has deteriorated, views his job as the only thing he has left--but the angel killer may snuff that out as well. His devotion, sincerity and compassion will leave readers rooting not only for his success but his redemption. --Jen Forbus of Jen's Book Thoughts