What came before he shot her
(Book)

"A hardcover edition of this book was published in 2006 by HarperCollins Publishers"--Title page verso

"The brutal, inexplicable death of Inspector Thomas Lynley's wife, Helen, has left Scotland Yard shocked and searching for answers. Even more horrifying is that the trigger was apparently pulled by a twelve-year-old boy. The story begins on the other side of London in rough North Kensington, where three three mixed-race, virtually orphaned Campbell children are bounced from their grandmother to their aunt. The oldest, fifteen-year-old Ness, is headed for trouble as fast as her high-heeled boots will take her. That leaves the middle child, Joel, to care for the youngest, Toby. And no one wants to put it into words, but something clearly isn't right with Toby. Before long, there are signs that Joel himself has problems. To protect his family, Joel ends up making a pact with the devil -- a move that leads straight to the doorstep of Thomas Lynley."--Back cover