Detective Chief Inspector Ross Tanner: Second Sight

Ross Tanner likes speed. Whether he's rocketing through the streets of London on his roller blades or chasing down a dangerous killer, he lets nothing slow him down, especially when it comes to moving up the ladder of the detective force. The son of a career policeman who never rose from the uniformed ranks, Tanner is determined to be better than his father -- or anyone else, for that matter. So far, he's succeeded, aided by a keen intuition that's helped him close an impressive number of cases.

But success has not come without cost. A broken marriage lies behind him, and his obsession with work prevents him from seeing his seven-year-old son as often as he should. But he can't help it: He's addicted to the thrill of the chase.

Until a rare eye disorder stops him in his tracks, intermittently robbing him of his sight. Tanner is too proud and ambitious to reveal his disability, so he decides to brazen it out in his usual damn-the-torpedoes manner. But when simply pouring a cup of coffee becomes a nearly impossible task, Tanner reluctantly admits to himself that he needs help.

Enter Detective Inspector Catherine Tully, his new partner, whose ambition burns nearly as brightly as Tanner's. When she discovers his secret, she sees a chance to redeem her past mistakes and makes him an unusual proposition: She'll keep her mouth shut and her eyes open -- for both of them. It's a potent combination -- Tully's sight, Tanner's insight -- and it forms the basis of one of the most unusual partnerships in the annals of criminal investigation.

The preceding is an excerpt taken from the book,
MYSTERY!: A Celebration, by Ron Miller
(published by KQED Books).
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