Sunday is for beginnings, when we take a look at the start of a Peter Abrahams novel, including those written under the Spencer Quinn moniker™. Because THE RIGHT SIDE (not a Chet and Bernie novel) is on sale digitally—$1.99!—for a few more days, any objection to going with it?

“Just want to make sure I’ve got your name right.”

The man – Machado, read the tag hung around his neck – swiveled sideways to check his computer. The chair made a squeaky sound, intolerable to the woman sitting on the other side of the desk. It sparked a headache in the spot where her headaches got sparked these days, a headache that then blossomed like an explosion in slow motion, so slow you might have thought it would peter out, or be easily stopped. She knew better.

Machado – Dr. Ernest Machado, Psychiatric Services, according to the name tag – squinted at the screen. “Still getting used to these darn progressives,” he said, tapping his glasses.

“Poor you,” she said.