Started Early, Took My Dog

Tracy Waterhouse leads a quiet, ordered life as a retired police detective—a life that takes a surprising turn when she encounters Kelly Cross, a habitual offender, dragging a young child through town. Both appear miserable and better off without each other—so she decides, in a snap decision that surprises herself as much as Kelly. Burdened with a small child, Tracy learns that her parental inexperience is the least of her problems, as larger issues loom for her and the young charge.

Meanwhile, Jackson Brodie, the beloved detective of novels such as Case Histories, is embarking on a different rescue—of an abused dog. Along with the dog, Jackson is about to learn that no good deed goes unpunished.