Puppet for a Corpse

A doctor’s apparent suicide sets off alarm bells for Detective Inspector Thanet, “a shrewd yet compassionate observer of aberrant human behavior” (The New York Times). The Hippocratic oath binds medical professionals to a lifetime of helping fellow human beings. For a doctor to kill himself is not just to renege on that pledge, but to betray all mankind. When Dr. Arnold Pettifer is found dead from an overdose of pills and alcohol, Det. Inspector Luke Thanet’s first reaction is disgust. His second is suspicion: This, he thinks, is murder. Nothing in Pettifer’s life would point to suicide. He had a prospering practice, money in the bank, a beautiful new wife, and a baby on the way. But when Inspector Thanet learns that Pettifer’s wife had taken a lover, he begins to suspect her—only to find that nothing about the death of Dr. Pettifer is as obvious as it may seem. This CWA Silver Dagger–winning series set in the Kent countryside is beloved by fans of the classic English mystery. Puppet for a Corpse showcases the talents of police inspector Thanet, “a subtle interviewer with a genius for reading character” (The New York Times). Puppet for a Corpse is the 3rd book in the Inspector Thanet Mysteries, but you may enjoy reading the series in any order.