Unreasonable Doubt: A Constable Molly Smith Novel by Vicki Delany

He always claimed he was innocent of the crime he was jailed for.  Now, after 25 years, his case has been turned over and he's set free.  Despite advice from his attorney, he goes home.  More realistically, he goes to the village he used to live in.  No one is very welcoming and most people still think he's guilty.  Even the cops aren't sure...

Poisoned Pen Press and Net Galley let me read this book for review (thank you).  It will be published February 2nd.  

Molly doesn't know what to think but she does know if the case was thrown out, he must be innocent.  That means someone else in town was the killer.

This homecoming and a reopened crime file is further complicated by an attempted rape.  The people in the village are trying to blame that on Walter.  He didn't do it but they don't want to believe that.  The only thing Walter wants to know is why someone framed him for the original murder.  When he gets beaten up by the remaining family members of the girl, he still hangs around.  He wants answers.  The problem is that there are more questions than answers and trying to work a cold case 25 years later is tough.

The plot was interesting and a bit twisted in nature.  I like Molly and her police techniques and this book made John Winter shine.  He's another excellent cop.  It's not a perfect ending but it is a realistic one.  Even Walter has some hope at the end.