Bannerless by Carrie Vaughn

Enid the Investigator is our hero in this mystery.  Set in a future where communities have to rely on each other to share scarce resources, the right to bear children is granted by the governing bodies only upon proof that the child can be supported.  Of course, in this future murder is still considered wrong, and Enid is assigned the case of a suspicious death in a community far from her own home.  The title refers to a family unit that has not been granted the right to have a child-ie, they have not been given a banner-and the history of one of the key players in the mysterious death she is investigating includes a possible flaunting of the rules.  The tone of the book is a little dark, in fitting with the setting.  The book is well written, the story compelling and I liked Enid a lot.  I immediately ordered the next book in the series and was not disappointed.

Rating:  #3 Enjoyed It Very Much