Fear Nothing
By Lisa Gardner
(Dutton)

Nobody writes about the psychological aspects of working in law enforcement better than Lisa Gardner. She can take potentially disturbing scenarios that are frighteningly real and make them compelling, which she does in her latest novel, “Fear Nothing.”

An alternative title could be “Pain Management” because the story takes a hard look at what constitutes physical pain ― and how a person deals with it.

Police Detective D.D. Warren is checking out a crime scene for clues to what happened in an upstairs bedroom that left a woman dead and skinned. She hears a noise. When she goes to investigate, Warren falls down a flight of stairs, suffering severe injuries.

The pain from her injuries is almost too much to bear. She receives a recommendation for treatment by Dr. Adeline Glen, who specializes in pain management. Glen has spent her life trying to escape from her family’s violent past. She’s also lucky to be alive since she was born with a rare genetic disorder that keeps her from feeling physical pain. A bump against something or the water being too hot in the shower wouldn’t be noticeable to her and could result in an infection and death.

The therapy starts off well, but soon Warren discovers a connection between the murder investigation and Glen’s past.

Gardner pulls off surprises while keeping the reader inside the mind of her characters. She’s written another thriller that will keep fans gasping while drawing new readers into the vivid psychological narrative. (AP)