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Neil Cross is the creator and writer of the BBC crime series, "Luther."

"Luther, The Calling," is the first book in a series that stars no nonsense Deputy Chief Inspector John Luther.

As the story opens, of of Luther's friends on the department has been roughed up by  two thugs who work for a desperate property developer who is on the downside of his career. He needs one more person to sell his home so the developer can  have the area developed. Luther's friend has taken the side of the home-owner, an old sailor living alone.

The central part of this compulsively readable story involves a killer who murders a young husband and wife and steal their infant.

Luther is a workaholic who puts himself so much into the investigation that it's affecting his marriage. His wife sees that he's acting irrationally and not sleeping. She wants him to take time off...but there's always another victim to save.

The characters are described to perfection with Luther being easy to feel empathy for and hope he can solve the case and save his marriage. The antagonist is a sociopath who doesn't care what the effect of his crimes on others. Seeing him in action would make most readers check the locks on their doors.

The plotting is clever and this is an extremely enjoyable read.