My favorite occurrence at the end of each year is the appearance of a new Bryant & May/Peculiar Crimes Unit (PCU) novel. Anyone who loves reading and has not experienced one of these books is being cheated, though it is easy enough to rectify the matter. With the newly published THE LONELY HOUR, Christopher Fowler has written 16 of them, as well as a short story collection (with another on the way).

Readers of the series are treated to a history lesson and tour of London; exposure to an ensemble of quirky, unique characters; and a vocabulary lesson, with an emphasis on arcane insults. And, of course, there is an intriguing, baffling mystery at the beating heart of each volume, as well as a dollop or two of romance. One receives quite a bit for the price of admission.

"What makes this book so special is the weight and importance of the subplots that dip and swirl around the investigation as the PCU attempts to identify and apprehend the killer before he strikes again."

This is particularly true of THE LONELY HOUR. The title refers to 4am, at which time a series of murders take place. While the culprit is revealed early on, readers aren’t privy to the “why”; watching the PCU try to solve these crimes constitutes a great deal of the fun and thrill of the chase, which runs from first page to last. The PCU is led by the more-eccentric-by-the-day Arthur Bryant and the more grounded and logical John May. What makes this book so special is the weight and importance of the subplots that dip and swirl around the investigation as the PCU attempts to identify and apprehend the killer before he strikes again.

Bryant and May, who have been inseparable since the beginning of the PCU, seem to be at professional and personal odds with each other. There is also a betrayal from within that might cause the dismantling of the team once and for all. A clandestine romance has the potential to compromise the investigation. And a member of the PCU --- not a primary one, but my personal favorite --- is taken off the board about halfway through the story. However, all of this is secondary to the conclusion, which in its own way is a homage to one of the most iconic moments in British detective fiction. Yes, that sounds like quite a bit for one book, and it is.

Fowler, who is involved with other projects on a regular basis, never sacrifices quality or quantity. But I don’t know if I can wait another year to see what occurs. While readers are assured that “Bryant and May will return,” even Fowler admits in his Acknowledgements that he has no idea what will happen next. Two things are certain, though. If you read THE LONELY HOUR, you will be compelled to delve into the previous installments. And you will have to mightily resist the impulse to immediately travel to London, book(s) in hand, and check out the geography that Fowler weaves so brilliantly into his story.